Cookie Policy

1. What is a cookie?

A cookie is a small piece of information stored on a device when a website is used. Similar technologies can also store or read information on a browser or device.

2. Strictly necessary cookies

Southport Trades may use cookies or similar storage that is necessary for website security, administration, logged-in WordPress users, form functionality, fraud/spam prevention or technical operation. These technologies are used because the requested website service cannot operate securely or correctly without them.

3. Analytics and non-essential cookies

Southport Trades can use Google Tag Manager and analytics to understand how the website is used, including customer-enquiry conversions, business-profile visits and clicks on member contact links. Analytics is optional. Where a Google Tag Manager container is configured, it is loaded only after you choose Allow analytics in the website's cookie controls.

Your analytics choice is stored in a first-party consent cookie named st_analytics_consent for up to 180 days so the website can remember whether you allowed or declined analytics. The consent record itself is necessary to respect your choice. You can change the choice later using the Cookie settings link in the footer.

Southport Trades' analytics event layer is designed not to send customer names, email addresses, phone numbers, postcodes or job-description text to Google Analytics.

4. Third-party services

External services linked from the website, such as a member's own website or a future WhatsApp/messaging provider, operate their own websites or applications and may use their own cookies under their own policies. Simply linking to an external website does not allow Southport Trades to control that site's cookies.

5. Managing cookies

You can use the Cookie settings link in the website footer to revisit the Southport Trades analytics choice. You can also use your browser settings to view, block or delete cookies. Blocking cookies that are strictly necessary may affect website functionality, including administration or security features.

6. Changes and contact

We will update this page if the cookies or similar technologies used by Southport Trades materially change. Questions can be sent to hello@southporttrades.co.uk.