Bristol is unique in my experience in that the professional based pilots there actually think the airport management are pretty good at their job. There's not much money wasted on fancy offices and what is spent seems to go on the necessary but unglamorous stuff you actually need.
As an exercise in focusing on becoming the leading regional UK airport it stands comparison well. I contend that it's technical limitation to long haul product is actually key to its focus and its success in achieving its suprisingly comprehensive and sustained network map. It's better to be busy and vibrant and not do longhaul than it is to be something like the ghost town at Birmingham with its handful of marginal longhaul routes and otherwise uninspiring smattering of short and medium haul options.
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