Key points
- Essential cookies keep the site working and remember your cookie choice. They are always on.
- Analytics and marketing cookies are off until you switch them on, and you can change your mind at any time.
- Use the Cookie settings link at the bottom of every page to review or change your choice.
01
What cookies are
Cookies are small text files that a website saves in your browser. Similar technologies, such as the browser’s local and session storage, work in a similar way. We call them all cookies in this policy.
02
How we ask for your consent
When you first visit, a banner asks whether you accept analytics and marketing cookies. Until you choose, only essential cookies are used and Google Analytics runs in a restricted mode that does not store cookies. You can accept all, reject all non-essential cookies or choose by category. We remember your choice for six months and then ask again. You can change it at any time with the Cookie settings link in the footer.
03
Essential cookies
- wp_consent_functional, wp_consent_statistics, wp_consent_marketing, wp_consent_preferences: store the choices you made in the cookie banner. Kept for six months.
- hs_consent: a backup record of the same choices. Kept for six months.
- hsSplash (session storage): remembers that you have seen the short intro animation, so it only plays once. Deleted when you close the browser tab.
- WordPress and security cookies: set only for our own team when they log in to manage the site.
04
Analytics cookies (only with your consent)
- _ga and _ga_<ID>: set by Google Analytics to distinguish visitors and sessions, so we can see which pages are useful. Kept for up to two years.
Google Analytics is provided by Google Ireland Limited. See how Google uses cookies.
05
Marketing cookies (only with your consent)
We do not currently set any marketing cookies. If we start measuring advertising campaigns, those tags will only run if you have allowed marketing cookies, and we will list them here.
06
Hosting statistics
Our hosting provider, Pressable, adds a small statistics script called Gauges to every page so it can count visits to the site. Gauges is now run by Fathom Analytics and works without cookies: it does not store anything in your browser.
Each page view sends Gauges the page address and title, the site you came from, your browser type, and your screen and window size. Fathom works out unique visits on its own servers using a code that changes every day, so it does not recognise you from one day to the next. Because the script is added by our host rather than by this website, it is not controlled by the cookie banner. See Fathom’s privacy policy.
07
Managing cookies in your browser
Most browsers let you view, block and delete cookies in their settings. Blocking essential cookies may stop parts of the site, such as the forms and booking, from working properly.
08
Changes and contact
We will update this policy if the cookies we use change. Questions are welcome at hello@haystack.mt. This website is operated by Haystack Ltd (C93790), SOHO Savoy Gardens, Triq D’Argens, Gżira, Malta. Registered office: 103, Archbishop Street, Valletta, Malta. See our Privacy Policy for how we handle personal data.
