When we provide services, we want to make them easy, useful and reliable. Where services are delivered on the internet, this sometimes involves placing small amounts of information on your device, for example, a computer or mobile phone. These include small files known as cookies. They cannot be used to identify you personally.
Cookies are small text files that websites save to your computer.
These pieces of information are used to improve services for you through, for example:
The list below shows all of the cookies that are set by this website and the third-party services we use. If you have any queries about these cookies or would like more information about them, please get in touch.
These are cookies set by this website. Some are necessary to the functionality of the site, others provide information to us that we analyse to monitor and improve the site. These first-party cookies do not store or collect any personal information or anything that makes you personally identifiable to us. Typically, the cookies generate a random, unique number to store information about a user.
If you have any further questions about our use of cookies please email us at [email protected]
| First-party cookies (cookies set by us) | ||||
| Name of cookie | Type of cookie | Expiry period | Reason for use of cookie | Description |
| chcookie | Persistent cookie | 2 months | Analytics | Used to improve our understanding of how people use our website and services, through web analytics |
| _pk_id.1.fc5d | Persistent cookie | 2 years | Analytics | Used to improve our understanding of how people use our website and services, through web analytics |
| _pk_ses.1.fc5d | Session cookie | Analytics | Used to improve our understanding of how people use our website and services, through web analytics | |
| ch_session | Session cookie | At end of session | Strictly necessary | Used to manage the items stored in your shopping basket or your progress through filing transactions |
| PIWIK_SESSID | Session cookie | Analytics | Used to improve our understanding of how people use our website and services, through web analytics | |
Third-party cookies (cookies set by other websites through this site)
We want to provide interesting and engaging content on our website. On a number of pages we use 'plug ins' or embedded media. For example, we embed YouTube videos and Google Maps in many pages. The suppliers of these services may also set cookies on your device when you visit the pages where we have used this type of content. These are known as 'third-party' cookies.
| Third-party cookies (cookies set by other websites through this site) | ||||
| Name of cookie | Type of cookie | Expiry period | Reason for use of cookie | Description |
| NID | Persistent cookie | 6 months | Media | This cookie is set by Google Maps when you visit any of our pages which includes an embedded Google Map |
| PREF | Persistent cookie | 2 years | Media | This cookie is set by Google Maps when you visit any of our pages which includes an embedded Google Map |
| testcookie | Session cookie | Media | This cookie is set by Google Maps when you visit any of our pages which includes an embedded Google Map | |
| khcookie | Session cookie | Media | This cookie is set by Google Maps when you visit any of our pages which includes an embedded Google Map | |
| SNID | Persistent cookie | 6 months | Media | This cookie is set by Google Maps when you visit any of our pages which includes an embedded Google Map |
| original_referer | Session cookie | Your visit | This cookie is set by Twitter when you load any of our pages that include a list of "Latest Tweets" | |
| _twitter_sess | Session cookie | Social networking | This cookie is set by Twitter when you load any of our pages that include a list of "Latest Tweets" | |
| guest_id | Persistent cookie | 2 years | Social networking | This cookie is set by Twitter when you load any of our pages that include a list of "Latest Tweets" |
| k | Persistent cookie | 1 week | Social networking | This cookie is set by Twitter when you load any of our pages that include a list of "Latest Tweets" |
| pid | Persistent cookie | 2 years | Performance / Networking | This cookie is set by Twitter when you load any of our pages that include a list of "Latest Tweets" |
| PREF | Persistent cookie | 10 years | Media | This cookie is set by YouTube when you load a video embedded on one of our pages |
| VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE | Persistent cookie | 240 days | Media | This cookie is set by YouTube when you load a video embedded on one of our pages |
| use_hitbox | Session cookie | Media | This cookie is set by YouTube when you load a video embedded on one of our pages | |
Shopping cart / transactional areas
There are some areas of our site that make use of shopping carts or forms technology which at times have to make use of cookies - the ones used on a permanent basis are detailed in the cookies table. From time to time we may add functionality to our site e.g. surveys, comparisons etc., and these often come from 3rd parties – we will endeavour to ensure full disclosure of any cookies.
Areas of the site requiring a login
Accepting the use of login functionality, without exception, you must explicitly agree to the setting of specific cookies, which allow this area to function. The cookies in use for secure areas are provided within the terms and conditions of use for the appropriate area.
We will not use cookies to collect personally identifiable information about you. However, if you wish to restrict or block the cookies which are set by our websites, or indeed any other website, you can do this through your browser settings. The 'Help' function within your browser should tell you how.
Alternatively, you may wish to visit the About Cookies website, which contains comprehensive information on how to do this on a wide variety of browsers. You will also find details on how to delete cookies from your machine as well as more general information about cookies.
Please be aware that restricting cookies may have an impact upon the functionality of our website.
If you wish to view your cookie code, just click on a cookie to open it. You'll see a short string of text and numbers. The numbers are your identification card, which can only be seen by the server that gave you the cookie.
For information on how to do this on the browser of your mobile phone you will need to refer to your handset manual. To opt-out of third-parties collecting any data regarding your interaction on our website, please refer to their websites for further information.
Local Shared Objects (Flash cookies)
Some of our pages include videos embedded from YouTube, which uses the Adobe Flash Player. To improve user experience, Local Shared Objects - or Flash cookies as they are commonly known - are employed to provide features such as auto-resume and for saving your preferences. Flash cookies are stored on a user's terminal much the same as cookies are, however it is not possible to manage them at browser level in the same way.