Good to hear some healthy debate on Elstree. I for one trained with Flyteam who have an office there...but actually do their training at EGTC Cranfield..about 45mins up the M1. A complete chalk'n cheese situation...Cranfield has a 1700m runway but is equally if not more busy in the (again rather large) circuit.
As for Elstree, I do not find it a particularly good field from a practical viewpoint..the large circuit is a definite negative. I can understand noise abatement rules, but how can that apply to Cabair and Firecrest but not to others? Furthermore it is a fact that elstree has some v. rich memebers with v. nice aircraft and that to this end, it is perhaps not seen as a particularly friendly PPL training facility.
As for the aforementioned AFISO, I do not care what anyone says about stress...there is no reason to be unprofessional on the radio, and by getting !!!!ty (as he definitely does)he makes it a) stressful to the poor pilot trying to cope with a busy circuit and b) quite simply bad manners...just because he is having a bad / stressful day doesnt mean he should take that out on others. Yes, he may have 101 things on the go at the same time, trying to "AFISO" safely and efficiently, but is he being thrown around over the trees at the end of 26 or trying to sort out his 4 mile final and safe seperation from traffic in front? Having your ear chewed off whilst doing that increases pilot stress and ultimately could steer you towards capacity overload. My answer is if he doesnt like the job, or indeed cant handle the stress, then to go and do something else.