Go to the States.
Hi Amber1,
'You could gain the requirements for a PPL in 2 months for less than 10k in Hampshire! Especially if you have the time and dedication to self study intensely. Also, you wouldn't have to convert your FAA to EASA on return from the states'.
I tried that (in Hampshire) and it didn't work. And I wasn't a newby; I was renewing a long expired PPL. I bitterly regretted not going off to the States. I was newly retired, so plenty of time, and I had plenty of money in the bank. In the end it took the best part of a year to get my licence back and 70 flying hours.
If you do your course at a UK flying club you can't have the continuity of training that you can get state-side, partly because you always have to compete with other club members for the same instructor and partly because of bl***y UK weather. In the UK you need to book twice the number of lessons you want because half of them will be cancelled because of bad weather.
Before EASA it was not necessary to change your FAA licence to a JAA licence you could fly perfectly legally on your FAA licence in the UK. I'm not sure what the position is now.
Good luck,
BP.