Cookie Policy

Last Updated: 12 November 2025

Introduction

This Cookie Policy explains how HelloBicester uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on our websites (hellobicester.co.uk and hellobicester.com).

This policy should be read together with our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

HelloBicester is committed to transparency about how we use cookies and respects your right to control them. We use Complianz Cookie Consent plugin to help manage your cookie preferences in compliance with UK GDPR and ePrivacy Directive.

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device (computer, smartphone, tablet) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and provide information to website owners.

Types of Cookies by Duration

Session Cookies
Temporary cookies that expire when you close your browser. They help websites remember your actions during a browsing session.

Persistent Cookies
Remain on your device for a set period or until you delete them. They remember your preferences for future visits.

Types of Cookies by Purpose

First-Party Cookies
Set by HelloBicester directly. We control these cookies and use them to improve your experience.

Third-Party Cookies
Set by external services we use (like Google Analytics). These services have their own privacy policies.

Cookies We Use on HelloBicester

1. Strictly Necessary Cookies

Purpose: Essential for our website to function properly. Without these cookies, certain features would not work.

Examples:

  • Cookie consent preferences (remembers your cookie choices)
  • Security cookies (prevent fraudulent activity)
  • Load balancing cookies (distribute traffic across servers)

Duration: Session or up to 1 year

Can you opt out? No – these cookies are essential for the website to work. Disabling them may prevent you from using parts of our website.

Legal basis: Legitimate interest – necessary to provide the service you’ve requested

2. Functional Cookies

Purpose: Remember your preferences and choices to provide enhanced, personalized features.

Examples:

  • Language preferences
  • Region/location settings
  • Display preferences (e.g., font size, layout)
  • Remembering if you’ve previously visited the site

Duration: Up to 18 Months

Can you opt out? Yes – via our cookie consent banner or cookie settings

Legal basis: Consent

3. Analytics Cookies

Purpose: Help us understand how visitors use our website so we can improve it.

Service: Google Analytics

What they collect:

  • Pages you visit and how long you spend on them
  • How you arrived at our website (referral source)
  • Device type, browser, and operating system
  • General location (city/country level, IP address anonymized)
  • Clicks, scrolling behavior, and navigation patterns

Specific cookies:

  • _ga – Distinguishes unique users (Duration: 2 years)
  • _gid – Distinguishes unique users (Duration: 24 hours)
  • _gat – Throttles request rate (Duration: 1 minute)

Can you opt out? Yes, in three ways:

  1. Decline analytics cookies in our cookie consent banner
  2. Use the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
  3. Change your browser settings

Legal basis: Consent

Third-party privacy policy: Google Analytics Privacy Policy

Note: We use Google Analytics with IP anonymization enabled, which means your full IP address is never stored.

4. Marketing Cookies (If Applicable)

Purpose: Track your online activity to deliver relevant advertising and measure campaign effectiveness.

Current status: We do not currently use marketing or advertising cookies on HelloBicester.

Future use: If we decide to use marketing cookies in the future:

  • We will update this Cookie Policy
  • We will request your explicit consent
  • You will be able to opt out at any time

Legal basis: Consent (if implemented)

Cookies Set by Complianz Plugin

The Complianz Cookie Consent plugin itself sets cookies to remember your cookie preferences:

Cookie name: complianz_consent_status or cmplz_*
Purpose: Stores your cookie consent choices
Duration: 365 days
Category: Strictly necessary
Can you opt out? No – this cookie is necessary to remember your preferences

Third-Party Services and Their Cookies

Google Analytics

ConvertKit (Email Newsletter)

  • Purpose: Newsletter subscription forms
  • Cookies: May set cookies when you interact with signup forms
  • Privacy Policy: https://convertkit.com/privacy
  • Note: ConvertKit primarily processes data server-side, not via browser cookies

Social Media Widgets (If Applicable)

If we embed social media content (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram):

  • These services may set their own cookies
  • We do not control these cookies
  • Refer to their respective privacy policies

Managing Your Cookie Preferences

Using Our Cookie Consent Banner

When you first visit HelloBicester, you’ll see a cookie consent banner powered by Complianz. You can:

  1. Accept All Cookies – Allow all cookies for the best experience
  2. Reject Non-Essential – Only allow strictly necessary cookies
  3. Customize Settings – Choose which categories of cookies to allow

Changing your mind later:

  • Look for the cookie settings link in our website footer
  • Or clear your browser cookies (see below)

Using Your Browser Settings

You can also manage cookies through your browser:

Google Chrome

  1. Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
  2. Choose your preferred cookie settings
  3. Chrome Help Guide

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
  2. Choose your preferred settings
  3. Firefox Help Guide

Safari

  1. Preferences → Privacy → Cookies and website data
  2. Choose your blocking preferences
  3. Safari Help Guide

Microsoft Edge

  1. Settings → Cookies and site permissions
  2. Manage and delete cookies
  3. Edge Help Guide

Note: Blocking all cookies may prevent certain features of our website from working properly.

Other Tracking Technologies

Web Beacons (Pixel Tags)

We may use web beacons in our email newsletters to track:

  • Whether you opened the email
  • Which links you clicked
  • Email client and device type

Purpose: Improve our newsletter content and delivery

Legal basis: Legitimate interest in improving our service

Opt-out: Unsubscribe from our newsletter or disable image loading in your email client

Local Storage

Our website may use browser local storage (similar to cookies but with larger capacity) for:

  • Remembering your preferences
  • Caching content for faster loading
  • Storing non-personal technical data

Managing local storage: Clear your browser’s local storage through browser settings

Cookies and Email Newsletters

When you subscribe to our newsletter via ConvertKit:

  • ConvertKit may set cookies on their signup forms
  • We may use tracking pixels in emails (see Web Beacons above)
  • Your email preferences are stored by ConvertKit, not in browser cookies
  • Unsubscribe links are always available in our emails

Your Rights and Choices

Under UK GDPR and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), you have rights regarding cookies:

Right to Consent

You must give clear, affirmative consent before we set non-essential cookies. Pre-ticked boxes and cookie walls (blocking access unless you consent) are not allowed.

Right to Withdraw Consent

You can change your cookie preferences at any time using:

  • Our cookie settings link (in footer)
  • Browser cookie controls
  • The Complianz cookie banner (revisit settings)

Right to Information

You have the right to know:

  • What cookies we use
  • Why we use them
  • How long they last
  • Who has access to the data

This Cookie Policy provides that information.

Do Not Track (DNT) Signals

Some browsers have a “Do Not Track” (DNT) feature. Currently:

  • There is no industry standard for responding to DNT signals
  • HelloBicester does not specifically respond to DNT signals
  • You can control cookies through our consent banner and browser settings

Updates to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy to reflect:

  • Changes in our use of cookies
  • New features or services
  • Changes in cookie laws or regulations
  • Updates to third-party services

When we update this policy:

  • The “Last Updated” date will change
  • Significant changes will be communicated via email or website banner
  • Your continued use indicates acceptance of the updated policy

Impact of Refusing Cookies

If You Reject All Non-Essential Cookies

What will still work:

  • Browsing our website content
  • Reading archived articles
  • Viewing the business directory
  • Accessing event listings
  • Subscribing to our newsletter

What may not work optimally:

  • Personalised content or preferences
  • Remembering your cookie choices across sessions
  • Certain interactive features
  • Our ability to improve the website based on usage data

If You Accept All Cookies

  • Full website functionality
  • Personalised experience
  • Your preferences remembered across visits
  • Helping us improve our content and services

Children’s Privacy

HelloBicester is intended for adults (18+). We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13.

If you are a parent and believe your child has provided us with personal information via cookies, please contact us at support@hellobicester.co.uk.

International Data Transfers

Some cookies (like Google Analytics) may transfer data outside the UK/EU:

  • Google Analytics transfers data to the United States
  • These transfers are protected by Standard Contractual Clauses
  • Refer to our Privacy Policy for more details on international transfers

Questions About Cookies?

If you have questions about our use of cookies:

HelloBicester
Email: support@hellobicester.co.uk
Website: hellobicester.co.uk

For technical questions about Complianz cookie management:

Legal Compliance

This Cookie Policy complies with:

  • UK GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
  • Data Protection Act 2018
  • Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) 2003
  • ePrivacy Directive

Useful Resources

Learn more about cookies:

Manage cookies across all websites:

Privacy tools:

Thank you for trusting HelloBicester with your privacy.