ok so it kept getting stuck and was a right pain to open
and as i kept leaving my house keys and what not in it - i needed to keep opening it
i cleaned the runners and tried to figure out what might be blocking it
this morning it wouldnt open at all, so i got mad and really pulled on it
it came out
and so did something else
a bit of plastic, with a code and the vw/seat gubbins on it - one of the clips had broke though
the ash tray now opens and closes easily - though is a bit edgy in its out position - perhaps not good to leave it open while driving
so there we have it - get mad, yank hard, problem solved....
(lol)