From HEATHROW DIRECTOR:
Listening to ATC in the UK is illegal.
I understand that this is the general caise, but that the prohibition may be waived in some locations and some cicumstances.
Many years ago there was a notice at the bottom of a stair outside the eastern end of the then only terminal at Manchester inviting members of the public to come up and get theit airband receivers checked for non-interference with ATC communications. This implies that there was then a general grant of permission to listen to ATC at Manchester. Has this permission ever been revoked?