What a cookie is, in two sentences
A cookie is a short text record that the site asks the browser to keep on the reader’s device, so that the next visit can pick up where the last one left off. StratfordWin keeps the smallest set of cookies a working publication actually needs and switches the optional categories off until the reader chooses otherwise.
Categories used on this site
| Category | Default state | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly necessary | On (cannot be disabled) | Stores the cookie-banner choice itself, the age-gate acknowledgement and the language preference. |
| Analytics | Off by default | Aggregate page-view measurement, only fires when consent is given. |
| Marketing / attribution | Off by default | Measures sponsored-anchor outbound clicks for the affiliate accounting; only fires when consent is given. |
How a reader changes the choice
The cookie banner appears on the first visit and stores the chosen preferences in browser local storage. The choice can be revisited at any point through the “Cookie settings” control in the footer. Switching a category off removes the corresponding pixel inside the next page load. Browser-level controls (clearing site data, blocking third-party cookies, switching to Private Mode) work as expected and are honoured by the publication.
Third-party tracking
StratfordWin does not host any embedded social-network widgets, comment systems, video players or recommendation engines. The few third-party calls the site does make — the Bootstrap stylesheet from a CDN, the Google Fonts stylesheet — are static resource fetches and do not set tracking cookies in the publication’s context. The site does not sell or share reader data with advertising networks.
Do Not Track
The desk respects the Do Not Track signal where the browser sends one: when DNT is enabled, the cookie banner appears with the optional categories pre-set to off and the publication will not prompt for an upgrade. The reader can still opt in manually through the banner if they prefer.
Talking to the desk
Questions about the cookie inventory, requests for the precise list of third-party domains served on a given page, or requests to opt out entirely can be sent via the signal-flag desk. The bench replies within three British working days.