Cookie Policy

What are cookies and how to control them

A number of different cookies may be used on our site. These may place small data files, on your PC, smart phone or tablet. This is standard practice for all websites and helps us deliver a better website for you. For guidance on what they are, or how to control or delete them, then we recommend you visit http://www.aboutcookies.org

We often use the cookies described below. Our policy is an 'implied consent' policy which assumes you are happy with this usage. If you are not happy then you should either not use the site or delete them after visiting. You can alternatively browse using 'Private Browsing' in Apple Safari / Firefox, 'Incognito' in Google Chrome or 'In Private' in Internet explorer.

Persistent Cookies for Site Analytics and Performance

1) Google AdSense

This cookie is used by Google to report to us how any adverts we may be running are performing. User data is all anonymous.

You can find out more generally about Google and its policies and principles as regards advertising at http://www.google.com/policies/privacy/ads/

2) Google Analytics

We use this to understand how the site is being used in order to improve the user experience. User data is all anonymous.

You can find out more about Google's position on privacy as regards its analytics service at http://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/analytics/privacyoverview.html

3) Social buttons

You may see 'social buttons' throughout the site. These enable users to share or bookmark the web pages. In order to implement these buttons, and connect them to the relevant social networks and external sites, there are scripts from domains outside of this site. You should be aware that these third party sites are likely to be collecting information about what you are doing all around the internet. So if you click on any of these buttons, these sites will be registering that action and may use that information. In some cases these sites will be registering the fact that you are visiting this site, and the specific pages you are on, even if you don't click on the button if you are logged into their services, like Google and Facebook. You should check the respective policies of each of these sites to see how exactly they use your information and to find out how to opt out, or delete, such information.

4) External web services

We may use a number of external web services on our site, mostly to display content within our web pages. For example, we often use Flickr to display images or image slideshows; to show videos we sometimes use Vimeo or YouTube. This is not an exhaustive or complete list of the services we use, or might use in the future, when embedding content, but these are the most common. As with the social buttons we cannot prevent these sites, or external domains, from collecting information on your usage of this embedded content. If you are not logged in to these external services then they will not know who you are but are likely to gather anonymous usage information e.g. number of views, plays, loads etc.

5) Service request forms, Surveys & Contests

From time to time our site may request information from users via surveys, contests or for a particular service (eg newsletter sign up). Participation in these surveys or contests is completely voluntary and the user therefore has a choice whether or not to disclose this information.

"Session" Cookies

We may use a session cookie to remember your log-in or what you've put in a shopping basket, or added to a wishlist for example. If used, session cookies are necessary for the correct working of the site and if disabled, various functionality on the site will be broken.

More information on session cookies and what they are used for at
http://www.allaboutcookies.org/cookies/session-cookies-used-for.html