1. Essential storage

The site may use short-lived technical storage to remember a reader's cookie choice and support basic interaction. This storage is not used to build a profile.

For example, this storage allows the site to remember that a reader has already seen and responded to the cookie banner, so the same prompt does not reappear on every single page load during one visit. It also supports basic interface behaviours, such as keeping a mobile navigation menu in the correct open or closed state as a reader moves between pages. This storage does not collect a reader's name, email address or browsing history across other websites, and it is not shared with any advertising network. A practical consequence of relying only on this kind of storage is that stalvel.info does not need to ask for consent before setting it, because it falls within the strictly necessary exemption recognised by UK cookie regulations. If a reader's browser is configured to block all storage, including strictly necessary storage, the site will still display its content, though the cookie banner may reappear more often than intended. The legal basis for using this category of storage is Regulation 6 of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003, as retained in UK law, which permits strictly necessary storage without prior consent because it is required for the basic operation of the service the reader has requested. No third-party processor receives this data, since it is written and read entirely within the reader's own browser and is never transmitted to a Stalvel server or to any external party. As a further example, if a reader visits the site from two different devices, such as a phone and a laptop, the cookie choice is stored separately on each device, because browser storage does not synchronise automatically between them unless the reader's own browser software is configured to do so.

  • a) Name: cookieChoice — records accept or reject only, no personal identifiers.
  • b) Type: first-party, strictly necessary storage, not shared with third parties.
  • c) Lifespan: up to 12 months, or until cleared manually through browser settings.
  • d) Storage location: written directly in the reader's browser, on the reader's own device, and never transmitted to or stored on a Stalvel server.

2. Consent record

The cookieChoice value records accept or reject for up to 12 months. A reader can clear it through browser settings and will then see the choice prompt again.

For example, if a reader accepts cookies on a first visit, the site will not show the banner again on a return visit soon after, because the stored value confirms the earlier choice. If that same reader later clears their browser storage, perhaps as part of routine browser maintenance, the banner will reappear on the next visit because the site no longer has a record of the earlier decision. This value is stored only in the reader's own browser and is not transmitted to any external analytics or advertising service, since no such service is currently in use on stalvel.info. A practical consequence of the 12-month lifespan is that even a reader who does nothing at all will eventually see the banner again after roughly a year, simply because the stored choice expires and needs to be renewed. Readers who use private or incognito browsing windows should expect to see the banner on every session, since that browsing mode does not retain storage between sessions by design. This 12-month lifespan mirrors common practice among UK websites operating under guidance published by the Information Commissioner's Office, which generally treats a consent record of around twelve months as a reasonable maximum before a reader's preference should be reconfirmed. An edge case worth noting is a reader who rejects cookies: the reject decision is itself recorded using the same cookieChoice mechanism for the same 12-month period, since remembering a rejection also requires a minimal amount of strictly necessary storage. Where a reader accesses the site through a shared or public computer, the stored choice will reflect whichever preference was last selected on that device, regardless of who selected it, which is a normal characteristic of browser-based storage generally.

  • a) Renewal: the stored choice automatically expires after 12 months and the banner reappears.
  • b) Manual reset: clearing browser cookies or site data has the same effect as waiting for expiry.
  • c) Private browsing: the choice is not retained between private or incognito sessions.
  • d) Rejection is recorded: choosing "Reject" is stored using the same mechanism and for the same 12-month period as an acceptance, purely to avoid repeating the prompt unnecessarily.

3. Analytics

Optional audience measurement is not enabled by default. If it is introduced, consent will be requested before the relevant tool loads and this page will identify its name and lifespan.

For example, if Stalvel later decides to introduce a privacy-focused analytics tool to understand which articles are most read, that tool would not begin collecting any data until a reader had actively clicked to accept it through the cookie banner described above. In that scenario, this page would be updated in advance to name the specific tool, describe what it measures in plain terms, and state exactly how long its data is kept before it is deleted or anonymised. A practical consequence of waiting for consent before loading any such tool is that a reader who rejects cookies, or who has not yet made a choice, is not measured or tracked in any way while browsing the site. No decision has currently been taken to introduce audience measurement, and stalvel.info operates today without any analytics or advertising cookies of any kind. If this changes, the update would be treated as a material change to this Cookie Policy and flagged with a new review date. Were an analytics tool to be introduced in future, the likely legal basis for its use would be the reader's specific consent, obtained separately from the strictly necessary storage described in section 1, and any such tool would be selected with a preference for providers that anonymise or pseudonymise data close to the point of collection and that do not build cross-site advertising profiles. A related example is that even a future analytics tool would typically use a short-lived session identifier, often expiring within 24 to 30 minutes of inactivity, alongside a longer-lived identifier of no more than 12 to 24 months, both of which would be documented in this section with their exact names before going live.

  • a) Current status: no analytics or measurement tool is active on stalvel.info.
  • b) If introduced: the tool's name, purpose and cookie lifespan would be added to this section before it goes live.
  • c) Consent-first: any future analytics tool would only load after the reader has clicked to accept, never before.
  • d) Withdrawal: if introduced, a reader would be able to withdraw consent for analytics at any time via the "Cookie Settings" link in the banner, without affecting the strictly necessary storage described in section 1.

4. Browser controls

Most browsers allow cookies to be blocked, deleted or reviewed. Blocking essential storage may mean the consent prompt returns, but the editorial pages remain available.

For example, most desktop and mobile browsers include a settings menu, usually under a heading such as "Privacy" or "Site settings", where a reader can view, delete or block cookies for stalvel.info specifically or for all websites at once. Deleting cookies for this site alone will remove the stored cookieChoice value described above, causing the banner to reappear on the next visit, without affecting any other website the reader uses. Blocking all cookies at the browser level, including strictly necessary ones, means the banner may appear repeatedly on every page, but it does not prevent a reader from reading any article, since the site's core content does not depend on cookies to load. A practical consequence of these controls is that a reader has full ability to manage their own storage preferences without contacting Stalvel directly, though the team is happy to explain the options by email if needed. Instructions for managing cookies vary by browser and are usually available directly from the browser manufacturer's own help pages. As a further example, browsers such as Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Edge each label these settings slightly differently, but all provide a way to view a list of sites that have stored data and to remove entries individually, which is a more targeted option than clearing all browsing data at once. Readers using a mobile device should note that some mobile browsers apply storage settings at the operating-system level rather than within the browser app itself, so the relevant control may be found under the device's general privacy settings rather than inside the browser.

  • a) To block cookies entirely: use the browser's privacy settings to disable storage for stalvel.info or for all sites.
  • b) To delete existing cookies: use the browser's "clear browsing data" or equivalent option, then refresh the page.
  • c) To review stored cookies: most browsers list active site data under a "Cookies and site data" settings panel.
  • d) Mobile devices: some settings are managed at operating-system level rather than within the browser app; check the device's general privacy settings if the browser menu does not show the expected option.

5. Updates

This policy was reviewed on 24 September 2026. Questions can be sent to [email protected].

For example, if Stalvel introduces a new technical feature that requires additional browser storage, this page would be updated to describe it before that feature is switched on for readers. The review date at the top of this paragraph reflects the most recent occasion on which the entire policy was checked against the storage actually in use on stalvel.info, rather than a fixed annual schedule. A practical consequence of this approach is that a reader can treat the date shown as a reliable indicator of how current the policy is, and can check back periodically if they want to confirm nothing has changed. Readers who have a specific question about a particular cookie, or who want confirmation that no analytics tool has been switched on since their last visit, are welcome to write to [email protected] and can expect a response within a few working days. Any future change that adds a new cookie or changes a retention period will result in an updated date being published here, together with a short description of what changed. A brief internal change log is kept alongside this policy: the entry for 24 September 2026 confirms a full review of sections 1 to 4 with no new storage introduced since the previous review, and the entry before that recorded the initial publication of this Cookie Policy alongside the launch of stalvel.info. Where a reader submits a written question about cookies to [email protected], the editorial team aims to acknowledge receipt within two working days and to provide a full answer within five working days, extending to ten working days where the question requires input from a hosting or technical provider. This Cookie Policy should be read alongside Stalvel's Privacy Policy, which describes in more detail the categories of personal data Stalvel may process outside of browser storage, such as an email address voluntarily submitted through a contact or newsletter form.