Cookie Policy

This page explains the small files we place on your device when you visit our website, what each one is for, and how to say no. It sits alongside our Privacy Policy, which covers personal data more broadly.

1. What cookies actually are

A cookie is a small text file that a website asks your browser to store. When you come back, the browser hands that file back, which is how a site remembers things like your language preference or whether you are logged in.

Alongside cookies, sites use a handful of related technologies that do similar jobs. Where this policy says "cookies", it also covers these:

• Local and session storage — browser storage that holds slightly larger amounts of data, such as your dark-mode preference.
• Pixels and tracking beacons — tiny transparent images embedded in a page or email that report back when they load.
• Software development kits — code supplied by an analytics or advertising provider that we embed in our pages.

2. Why we use them

We use cookies for four reasons: to keep the site working, to remember your preferences, to understand which pages are useful, and to measure whether our advertising reaches the right people. We do not use cookies to build profiles for sale to third parties.

3. The cookies we set

Categories are grouped by purpose. The exact list of individual cookies can change as we update the site or swap tools, which is why we describe them by function.

4. Third-party cookies

Some cookies are set by other companies whose services appear on our pages, not by us. We do not control these, and the provider's own policy governs what they collect.

• Analytics providers — measure site traffic and behaviour so we can see what is working.
• Embedded video — our homepage embeds a video player. Playing or, in some cases, simply loading the embed can set cookies from the video platform.
• Web fonts and content delivery networks — used to serve typefaces and assets quickly. These may log your IP address as part of delivering the file.
• Advertising platforms — where we run paid campaigns, their pixels report which adverts produced enquiries.

If you want to know exactly what a particular provider stores, their own cookie notice is the authoritative source. We are happy to tell you which providers are active at any given time if you ask.

5. Your choices

5.1 Our consent banner

On your first visit we ask for consent before setting anything beyond strictly necessary cookies. You can accept all, reject all non-essential cookies, or choose category by category. Rejecting is as easy as accepting, and the site remains fully usable if you decline.

To revisit your decision later, use the cookie settings link in the site footer. Your new choice takes effect immediately.

5.2 Your browser

Every mainstream browser lets you block or delete cookies from its settings, usually under a heading like Privacy, Security or Site permissions. Blocking all cookies will break parts of most websites, including ours, so it is generally better to use the category controls above.

Browsers also offer a "Do Not Track" signal. There is no agreed standard for how sites should respond to it, so we do not currently treat it as a consent instruction. We do honour recognised opt-out preference signals such as Global Privacy Control where your browser sends one.

5.3 Opting out of advertising measurement

Industry opt-out tools let you decline interest-based advertising across many companies at once. In the UK and Europe, Your Online Choices covers most major networks. In the US, the Digital Advertising Alliance and Network Advertising Initiative both run equivalent tools. These set an opt-out cookie, so clearing your cookies will reset them.

6. UK and EU visitors

The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations require your consent before we store or access anything on your device that is not strictly necessary to provide the service you asked for. That consent must be freely given, specific and informed, and you must be able to withdraw it as easily as you gave it. Our banner is built to meet that standard: non-essential cookies stay off until you actively turn them on.

Where cookie data amounts to personal data, our processing of it is described in the Privacy Policy, and you have the full set of UK GDPR rights over it.

7. United States visitors

Several US states, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Virginia and Utah, give residents the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information and of targeted advertising. We do not sell personal information for money. Where our use of advertising cookies could be treated as "sharing" for cross-context behavioural advertising under California law, you can opt out through our cookie settings link or by sending a Global Privacy Control signal from your browser.

8. Changes to this policy

We update this page when we add or remove a tool that sets cookies. The effective date at the top tells you when it last changed. Material changes to how we use non-essential cookies will trigger a fresh consent request.

9. Questions