The reason I mentioned this was because for me it's actually not. I am persona non grata with UKVI apparently (I've been turned away at the border when I didn'

The reason I mentioned this was because for me it's actually not. I am persona non grata with UKVI apparently (I've been turned away at the border when I didn't have a visa), so I always apply for a visa in advance now. It's annoying but it's not the deal-breaker people in this thread seem to think it is.