Last updated · September 2026

Privacy & cookies.

MWS is the independent web studio operated by Matthew Smyth in Northern Ireland. This notice explains how information submitted through this website is handled.

Information you provide

The project form collects your name, company, email, optional phone and website, project requirements, budget range, timing and project notes. Please do not include sensitive personal information.

Why it is used

Details are used to assess your enquiry, respond and discuss a potential project. Where you are asking us to take steps towards a contract, that is the basis for processing. For business contact enquiries, we rely on our legitimate interest in responding to relevant requests. Enquiries are not added to a marketing list.

Storage and access

Enquiries are stored in the website’s Cloudflare-hosted database. Access to the enquiry inbox is restricted to the studio owner. OpenAI Sites and Cloudflare provide the infrastructure used to host the site and process submissions. Infrastructure may involve processing outside the UK; their applicable data-protection terms govern those services.

Retention

Enquiries are retained only for as long as needed to respond and manage any resulting relationship. Unsuccessful enquiries are reviewed for deletion within 12 months. Information needed for a client contract or accounting records may need to be retained longer.

Your choices and rights

You can ask for access to, correction of or deletion of your information, and object to processing or request restrictions where applicable. Use the contact form, select “Not sure yet” and identify the request as a privacy enquiry. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Cookies and measurement

This site does not install advertising trackers or optional analytics. Essential hosting and security functionality may process technical request data. The owner-only inbox uses platform sign-in; no visitor account is needed to send an enquiry. If optional tracking is added later, this notice and the relevant consent controls will be updated.

Security

Submissions are validated on the server and protected with a hidden spam field, request-size limits and submission-frequency checks. No security system is perfect; avoid sending confidential project documents through the form.

Photography and work

Architectural and material photographs are illustrative, not claims of MWS or Thornton projects. Photography by Ronin Brewer and Sung Jin Cho, sourced under the Unsplash licence. The Thornton website is an independent design study, not commissioned or endorsed work.