It’s a numbers game, before my wife came to the UK on a settlement visa we visited the UK and she had visitor visas. Sometimes they’d get refused and we would re-submit without any changes and they would be granted. Don’t be despondent if the first is refused.
, you may also of noticed during your spell there, that when it comes to applying and enforcing rules and points of law, there isn’t always the appetite. But when it comes to blocking IP addresses, it’s a game of cat and mouse.