Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Festivals & Gigs (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses and protects your personal information when you use this website. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Who we are
Festivals & Gigs is owned and operated by John Sipson. For the purposes of UK data protection law, John Sipson is the data controller responsible for your personal information.
If you have any questions about this policy or how your data is handled, you can contact us at contact@festivalsandgigs.com.
What information we collect
Depending on how you use the site, we may collect:
- Information you give us directly — for example, your name and email address if you contact us, submit a review, or sign up to any mailing list or community we offer.
- Usage and device information — basic technical information collected automatically when you visit, such as your browser type, device type, and the pages you view. This is collected in aggregate and is not used to personally identify you.
We do not knowingly collect any special category data (such as information about health, religion or political opinions), and we ask that you do not send us any.
How we use your information
We use the information we collect to:
- Operate, maintain and improve the website and its content;
- Respond to enquiries and any reviews or submissions you send us;
- Understand how the site is used so we can improve it;
- Send you communications you have specifically asked to receive (such as a newsletter), where applicable; and
- Protect the website against fraud, abuse and security threats.
Lawful bases for processing
Under UK GDPR, we rely on the following lawful bases:
- Legitimate interests — to run and improve the website, understand aggregate usage, and keep the site secure, in a way that does not override your rights and freedoms.
- Consent — where you have opted in to something specific, such as a mailing list. You can withdraw consent at any time.
- Legal obligation — where we are required to process information to comply with the law.
Analytics and cookies
We use a privacy-focused analytics provider, Fathom Analytics, to understand how visitors use the site. Fathom collects aggregated, anonymised usage data and does not use cookies or collect personal information that can identify you. Because of this, we do not require a cookie consent banner for analytics.
If we introduce any features that do set cookies or similar technologies (for example, embedded third-party content), we will update this policy and seek your consent where required.
Third parties and data sharing
We do not sell your personal information. We may share information with trusted service providers who help us operate the website, including:
- Hosting and content delivery — our website and assets are served through hosting and content delivery infrastructure (including Amazon Web Services / CloudFront).
- Analytics — Fathom Analytics, as described above.
- Community platforms — if you choose to join any community we link to (such as Discord), your use of that platform is governed by that platform’s own privacy policy.
Some of these providers may process data outside the UK. Where that happens, we take steps to ensure your data is protected by appropriate safeguards, such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or equivalent mechanisms.
How long we keep your data
We keep personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this policy, or as required to meet legal obligations. Where you have contacted us or submitted content, we retain that information for as long as is reasonably needed to manage our correspondence and the site.
Your rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you;
- Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
- Request erasure of your information in certain circumstances;
- Object to or restrict our processing of your information;
- Request a copy of your information in a portable format; and
- Withdraw consent at any time, where we rely on consent.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at contact@festivalsandgigs.com. We will respond within the timeframes required by law.
Children’s privacy
This website is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated “last updated” date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
Complaints
If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, please contact us first so we can try to resolve them. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data protection authority, at ico.org.uk