OK... my view...
Attitudes and helpfulness depends on the individual controller, likewise the 'professionalism' of the airspace use and co-operation depends on the airmanship of the individual pilot...
I haven't flown very much in the UK compared to the US but it seems that zone transits are rarely refused in the US even at major international airports, eg LAX. Is this due to inappropiate staffing levels in the UK?
Birmingham is staffed with the number of ATCOs needed to fulfil our contract with Birmingham International Airport, no more, no fewer.
Presumably this also includes the use of the airspace associated with the airport? If this is so and transits, FIS, etc
are regularly being refused due to the high volume if traffic the one controller is dealing with then surely you are understaffed?
Here's an example of unexplainable different controlling at BHX... same day, same controller, about 15 minutes apart., Sunday afternoon, busy frequency, lots of aircraft flying around, visi decreasing in smoggy Midlands weather - legal but rather crappy.
Controller: G-XXXX, you have infringed my airspace, by .25mile at 1500, (think altitude is correct), I told you you MUST REMAIN clear of controlled airspace.
G-XXX: ..apologies, I hadn't realised - confirming leaving controlled zone.
Controller: G-XXXX, roger. Repeat remain clear of my airspace at all times.
The controller was very sharp, and (possibly unintentionally) came across as being rude - it sounded unprofessional. Yes, there was an infringement but as she was working the aircraft, knew his position, altitude and track it seemed a little bit excessive in the rebuke.
Same controller about 15 minutes later, giving us a FIS as we were skirting the zone along the south and west sides, gave numerous traffic reports, offered an alternate routing to assist in avoiding the dense traffic from local fields - "as I have multiple returns and I know the visibilty is poor in places", intially we declined the alternative but then after a few minutes changed our minds - "No problem, FIS until you are out of range, call for frequency change when required", this was followed by several more traffic calls and a "GoodBye" as we changed frequency. Polite, professional and helpful throughout.
Why the difference??? Bad timimg on behalf of the other pilot? Previous problems with the other pilot before we were on frequency? Differences in the radio calls?