COOKIE POLICY
Last updated: 14 January 2026
1. What Are Cookies
Cookies are small text files that a website places on your device when you visit. They allow the site to remember information about your visit — for example, your language preference or consent choices — and to gather data about how the site is used.
Similar technologies, including pixels, local storage, and session storage, function in analogous ways. This policy covers all such technologies where they are used on this site.
2. Cookie Categories We Use
These cookies are essential for the site to function and cannot be switched off. They are typically set in response to actions you take, such as setting your cookie preferences, logging into a service, or completing a form. Without them, the site cannot operate as intended.
Functional cookies allow the site to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third-party providers whose services have been added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these features may not function correctly.
Analytics cookies allow us to count visits and understand how readers navigate the publication — which articles are read most often, how long is spent on each page, and where readers arrive from. All data collected is aggregated and does not identify individual readers. We use this information to improve the quality and relevance of our editorial output.
Some pages on this site include embedded content from external sources, such as mapping services. When this content loads, the third-party provider may set its own cookies on your device. We do not control these cookies; they are subject to the privacy policies of the respective providers.
3. How We Obtain Consent
When you first visit this site, a consent banner is displayed at the bottom of the page. The banner offers three response options: accept all cookies, accept partial cookies (functional and analytics), or accept functional cookies only. Strictly necessary cookies do not require consent and are always active.
Your choice is stored in a strictly necessary cookie on your device and is respected on all subsequent visits. No non-essential cookies are set before you make a selection.
You may change your preferences at any time by clicking the "Cookie Settings" link in the footer of any page.
4. Managing Cookies Through Your Browser
In addition to using the consent banner on this site, you may manage, block, or delete cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:
- —View cookies currently stored on your device
- —Delete some or all stored cookies
- —Block third-party cookies by default
- —Receive a notification when a new cookie is set
Guidance on managing cookies in common browsers is available from the browser developers directly. Please note that blocking all cookies may affect the functionality of this and other sites you visit.
5. Cookie Retention Periods
Cookies set by this site are retained for the following periods:
| Category | Typical Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly Necessary | Session or up to 12 months | Consent preference cookie: 12 months |
| Functional | Up to 12 months | Cleared on browser data reset |
| Analytics | Up to 24 months | Dependent on analytics provider |
| Third-Party | Varies | Subject to third-party provider policies |
6. Contact and Further Information
If you have questions about our use of cookies or wish to exercise any rights you hold under UK data protection law, please contact us at [email protected] or write to us at 33 Corporation Row
Further information about cookies and how to manage them is available from the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk. Our full Privacy Policy and Terms of Service are also available on this site.