What is our commitment to correcting errors?
Southampton Wire is committed to correcting any material error promptly, transparently and with due prominence. We believe trust is earned by owning mistakes, not hiding them. When we get something wrong, we fix it clearly and explain what changed.
Our corrections policy is overseen by Editor-in-Chief William Ashby and managed daily by Diane Forbes, our Standards & Fact-Checking Lead. We treat every correction as a learning opportunity for our editorial team. Errors in fact, omission, context or misidentification are corrected at the earliest opportunity, whether reported by a reader or found during our own internal review. We do not rewrite history without an explanatory note.
How do I report a mistake to Southampton Wire?
Please email corrections@southamptonwire.co.uk with the article headline, URL, a clear description of the error, and your source if applicable. You can also call our UK editorial line on +44 20 4587 9485. All reports are acknowledged within one business day.
We prefer email because it creates a permanent record and allows our fact-checking team to investigate thoroughly. If you are unsure whether something is an error, send it anyway — Diane Forbes and her team will assess it. For urgent corrections that could cause immediate harm, phone the editorial line and ask for the Standards Desk. Anonymous tips are welcome but may take longer to verify.
What happens after I submit a correction request?
Your report goes directly to our Standards & Fact-Checking team led by Diane Forbes. They assess the claim against our published sources, interview recordings, data and original reporting materials. If the error is confirmed, a correction notice is drafted and the article is updated within 24 hours.
For minor errors — a misspelled name, incorrect date or wrong figure — we correct the text and append a short note at the bottom of the article stating what was changed and when. For material errors that affect the meaning or fairness of a story, we publish a standalone correction notice at the top of the article and, where appropriate, flag it in our newsletter. The original incorrect version is preserved in our editorial archive with a strikethrough or explanatory note so readers can see the full history.
What counts as a “material error”?
A material error is any mistake that could mislead a reasonable reader about a significant fact, damage someone’s reputation, or lead to a false conclusion about a council decision, court case, business practice or community issue. Examples include wrong conviction details, misstated financial figures, incorrect attribution of quotes, or misidentification of individuals.
We distinguish between material errors and minor typographical or formatting issues. Minor fixes (e.g., fixing a comma, updating a broken link) are made without a formal correction notice. If you think a minor error is actually material, tell us — we will review it with the same rigour. Our full definitions are in our editorial policy.
What you can expect from us
When we correct a material error, we will always tell you what we got wrong, what the correct version is, and why the error occurred. We will not hide corrections behind a simple edit without explanation. The correction notice will include the date and time of the change, and the name of the editor who approved it.
For significant errors that involve a source, subject or competing claim, we will contact those affected directly where possible. If the error appeared in a sponsored or affiliate article, the correction is handled under the same standard — commercial relationships never prevent a correction. Our full approach to sponsored content is detailed in our sponsored content policy. If we decide not to issue a correction after investigation, we will explain our reasoning to the complainant in writing.
Can errors be escalated to the Editor-in-Chief?
Yes. If you are not satisfied with the response from our Standards Desk, you can escalate directly to William Ashby, Editor-in-Chief, at william.ashby@southamptonwire.co.uk or +44 20 4587 9486. He will review the case personally and issue a final decision within five working days.
William Ashby’s role includes oversight of all correction and retraction decisions. In rare cases where a correction is not possible — such as when a source cannot be recontacted or records are lost — he will determine the appropriate public statement. Serious or systemic errors may also trigger a review of our editorial processes, documented in our complaints procedure. If the error involves a legal claim or defamation risk, William Ashby will consult our legal team before publishing any correction.
How do we handle retractions and clarifications?
If an article contains a fundamental error that cannot be fixed by a simple correction, we will retract the article entirely. A retraction notice will replace the article text, explaining why it was removed and what the reader should know instead. Clarifications are used for ambiguous language that was technically correct but could mislead — we add a note at the top of the article.
Retractions are rare at Southampton Wire because our fact-checking policy requires verification before publication. When they happen, we treat them with the same seriousness as a correction. All retractions and clarifications are logged in our internal records and reported to our ownership body, Sliema Media Limited (Malta Business Registry C 84217), as part of our quality assurance process.
Questions or concerns?
For any questions about this policy or a specific correction, contact our Standards Desk at corrections@southamptonwire.co.uk or Diane Forbes directly at diane.forbes@southamptonwire.co.uk. You can also reach our editorial team through the general contact at info@southamptonwire.co.uk. Our office is registered at Level 3, Tower Business Centre, Tower Street, Swatar, Birkirkara BKR 4013, Malta, with a UK editorial line at +44 20 4587 9485. We also invite you to read our our story page to understand the values behind this policy, our tip us page for secure ways to provide information, and our accessibility statement for how we ensure everyone can engage with our corrections.