Hmmm!
I going to stick my neck out here and offer a bit of advice (and say why)
FEO's are in the business of gathering information and otherwise, through various means, "processing" applicants' applications to the purpose of issuing FACs. They are NOT service providers to said applicants and they only may, or indeed may not, have assisting the applicant as their objective. Many would appear to have an entirely different objective in mind.
If you require information I advise you to seek it from organisations whose function IS to provide service to you.
Once you have the right advice then submit your application correctly. (or in this case "variation")
Any other course of action is an invitation to the risk of "tampering" and the exercise of whim and fancy, or blacker motive, on the part of an issuing authority.
Why allow that situation to arise?
I'm sure the vast majority of "problems", with Firearms Licensing Offices, reported on this site could easily be avoided by adhering to the above advice and opinion. For what it's worth.