Creative web hosting in the UK
For artists, makers, craftspeople, designers, small businesses, collectives, community groups .... you?
Welcome to hosting at hiraeth. We sometimes describe our web hosting as 'like your local corner shop' in that we offer a flexible, reliable personal service and a knowledgeable relationship with you. Our own creative backgrounds make us well placed to understand the priorities of individual makers, small creative businesses and artist groups who need a presence on the web. We don't pretend to compete with the supermarkets of web hosting on pricing; instead we make it our mission to provide the specialist touch.
Please don't hesitate to contact us about your hosting needs. We're here to help you get your account set up and working the way you want it, and our friendly expertise will support you when you need some technical know-how.
Our hosting accounts
We offer two levels of hosting account. Most of our individual and micro-business clients have our Standard Account. If you are a group, collective or commercial organisation, or you want to sell online, run more than one web site, or install non-standard software, or you have other complex requirements, our Premium Account is more extensible and includes custom set up, configuration and support to suit your particular needs.
Of course, you may want something between (or beyond) the two. If neither of these seems to fit, let us know what you're looking for. We're versatile and imaginative and will adapt our packages to suit you - not the other way round.
Features overview
| Standard Account | Premium Account | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | £95 a year | £260 a year |
| Payment | Annually | Annually or quarterly |
| Cancellation period | One month | One month |
| 1 to 4 POP mailboxes, email aliases, webmail | Multiple POP mailboxes, email aliases, webmail, IMAP | |
| FTP access | One user | Additional users on request |
| Web statistics | Yes | Yes |
| MySQL database | 1 on request | Up to 4 on request |
| WordPress installation and maintenance | Single installation (1) | Single installation or network-enabled (up to 4) |
| Backups | Nightly | Nightly or custom |
| Support | Expert personal support | Expert personal support |
| Setup help | Included | Included |
| Domain name registration | Extra | First year included |
| Special requirements | Extra | Included, please ask... |
Features in detail
Cost and cancellation
We want you to be pleased and satisfied with the services we provide. Although you pay annually, you can cancel at any time, so you are not tied in to the account. We refund all whole unused months on cancellation. You can pay by bank transfer, PayPal or UK cheque.
A Standard Account is £95 a year.
A Premium Account is £260 a year. Premium Account holders may choose to pay quarterly (by bank transfer only), but the cost is slightly higher: £72 a quarter (annual total £288).
Standard Accounts include up to 4 email POP boxes and/or as many email aliases as you require - some clients want one or more mailboxes, and email aliases as well; some only want one or the other. Email aliases can be delivered into an existing mailbox on the server, or redirected to a different email address somewhere else. We also provide webmail if you need to access your email on the move.
Premium Accounts also include as many additional POP boxes as you need (within reason), or we can provide IMAP for up to 3 users, if preferred.
FTP
Standard Accounts include FTP access to your home directory for one user.
Premium Accounts also include additional FTP users if you need them.
Web logs and statistics
Both accounts include detailed statistics showing the usage of your web site, which you can access in your browser. They are updated nightly and password protected.
Databases
Standard Accounts include a MySQL database and Premium Accounts include up to 4 MySQL databases. Additional databases may be added for a small annual cost.
WordPress
We install and maintain your WordPress installations for you and we can suggest a range of themes designed for creative web sites and portfolios. Maintenance includes core updates, and installation and updating of themes and plugins.
Standard Accounts include one WordPress installation, on request, capable of running a single site.
Premium Accounts include up to 4 WordPress installations, on request, which may run either a single site or a network. Networks are intended for building complex sites or groups of sites for your own use, not for reselling.
Support
Our technical support is careful and committed - not 24/7 (because we have to sleep) - but we aim to be as responsive as possible. Email is usually the best way to contact us, but our clients also have our mobile numbers. We understand that you may not have much (or any) technical expertise - and that's what we're here for, to help, to translate, to make it work for you.
We don't offer a control panel, because we prefer to stay aware of what is happening on our servers and to keep in touch with our clients. Instead we will always set up or help you to set up the features you require. We enable and configure Standard features for you, both when you open an account, and ongoing as your needs change. If you have a Premium Account, we will also work with you to customise and develop the hosting precisely to meet your specific requirements.
Backups
Your home directory and database(s) are backed up regularly.
Premium Account holders can request a custom backup schedule if necessary.
Domain name registration
We can register a domain name for you if you don't already have one. Domain names currently cost £15 annually for .com, .org and .net; and £10 annually for .co.uk and .org.uk. We can register names in other top level domains such as .info or .art - please ask for prices.
About us
Fiona Dix manages the servers day to day and provides technical support. She is the main contact for our hosting accounts and enjoys knowing all our clients by name. She has 19 years' experience as a Linux system administrator and web hosting provider, 17 years using PHP and MySQL, and has been looking after WordPress installations since version 1.5. She is also a textile artist with a colourful and growing practice. Her web site is www.lovefibre.com.
Alan Dix provides specialist software support and development. He is a human-computer interaction guru, researcher, author, programming wizard and problem solver with over 30 years' experience in computing and creativity. His web site is www.alandix.com.
Our hosting clients are located throughout the UK. They include Maggie Grey's WOWbook, the textile group edge - textileartists scotland, a number of Tiree organisations, artists, charities, a classical soprano and a renowned horologist.
Company details
hiraeth mixed media limited
Email: fiona.dix@hiraeth.com
Company registered in England and Wales No. 4193604.
Registered office: Moore & Smalley LLP, Kendal House, Murley Moss Business Village, Oxenholme Road, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 7RL