Modern Yamahas are very pedestrian, but not much will go wrong. A bit like a Japanese car or motorbike. Seagulls are very good value and sound nice and have a shortish scale length so play easy, but the tuning stability is suspect. Most L'Arrivees are prohibitively expensive in the UK. If you want a cheap cricket bat which will work but not sound great pick up an old Eko. You should get one (for about GBP 50 to GBP100) which is quite workable. THe sound balance is fair, but there is no huge "ring". If you can go a bit more you should be able to get a Sigma DM4 for between GBP100 and GBP150, second hand, which, if you like the "Martin" sound will do a fair impersonation.

Get "Loot" and "Diamond Free Ads" and read them for a month before buying.

If you want "bite" try a cheap second hand Washburn but do check that it tunes OK - they tend to have trouble with the B string.

Avoid washing up bowls like th plague. They sound like plastic.