That's true.
I can't say I've ever heard of a VT group, googled them to no avail.
I know about the 172 group based there (G-GYAV, Southport/Merseyside Aero club), but that's it apart from Azure. Are there any others that could be suitable for a PPL?
Ravenair do a decent deal on hour building, £115 an hour in a PA28 (although isn't clear if this is the older Cherokee or if you can fly in their beefier Warrior). But this only applies if you buy blocks of 10 hours, which unfortunately I feel I cannot risk.
Doesn't seem to be any no equity groups at all at Liverpool, unless I'm missing something.
I'd prefer to fly an FTO/school operated aircraft rather than one belonging to a private flying group, being a fresh PPL.