﻿ cookie explanation

The Behind The Arras Cookie Jar


What are cookies?

Cookies are tiny bits of code left on your computer.

What are they for?

There are two main types of cookie: 

Application cookies are used on sites where, for example, you need to log in, search for products, buy and pay for items. They keep track of who you are, your details such as address and what you have in your basket and your payment details. Tracking cookies can also be used by third party advertisers. We do not need nor do we use such cookies. 

The second main type are analytical cookies which are the cookies we use through software from Piwik. This software allows us to see how many visitors we have had and which pages were visited along with other information such as the operating systems and browsers people are using and whether the site is being viewed on mobile phones, tablets or computers. It also tells us how many new and returning visitors we have. 

This allows us to modify and tailor the site to ensure that we are providing the information people want and that that information is accessible to everyone. 

No personal information is collected and individuals cannot be identified, nor is any information passed to third parties or advertisers. The cookies, which take up negligible space on computers, provide purely statistical data for use by ourselves and that information is completely anonymous. 

If you wish to change your cookie settings then help in your browser will explain how you can do it (visitors to our site used ten different browsers in the first week of July, 2013 if you are interested)  

The settings can be changed at any time. The usual general settings are: accept cookies from third parties, which effectively means cookies from anyone; accept cookies just from the site you are visiting; or accept no cookies which will make it impossible to log in to many sites or make any purchases.