I think you are right, I need to take it in. As the local dealer is a good way from here I was thinking of taking into a very reputable local garage first as I was told that they were pretty easy things to work on.
If yopu have a friendly local MoT station, I would take it there. Their test system would specifically check for play in the steering. The ones I have driven have all bee dealer demo cars but they all have had quite good steering. Not in the class of a Lotus but not vague either.
Need to bear in mind that with the older style of construction, the front end will skitter a bit across the road on bumpy corners, or at least the cars I have driven have done so.
