Mea culpa .
The GA community is already aware of one Zone/Area where agreements have been made to bandbox APP and TWR to the detriment of Zone access, and we are acutely aware of the threat to GA in the South East if the Farnborough airspace comes into being and then access is limited by anything other than physical airspace and IFR/IFR and IFR/VFR separation.
It is a staffing issue.....but ULTIMATELY it will fall to the question of whose budget will pay for that staffing. There is NO other question for NATS management.
The controller on the day IS THE STAFF.
The operating authority will do everything in its power to save cash. Budgets have been geared towards the retention of contracts. Within NSL we have ALREADY lost Gatwick and Birmingham so cost is king. There has been a general reduction in the level of service provided e.g. Radar being provided by the Tower controller .Support staff pared to the bone . Engineering staff reduced to an on call level. Before I retired last year the ENTIRE staff were being called upon to do more and more with fewer and fewer resources.
I am certain that it has not improved in the intervening 12 months.
Good luck getting your client into the zone for a look see.