This privacy policy explains how The Studio NW ("The Studio", "we", "us") collects, uses and protects your personal data when you use this website and our services. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data responsibly and in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).
Who We Are
The Studio NW is a private members club based in Stacksteads, Lancashire, offering shibari classes and events. This website is operated at thestudionw.co.uk.
If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at hello@thestudionw.co.uk.
What Data We Collect
When you register as a member or make a booking, we collect the following information:
- Name — your first name and surname
- Email address — used for account access and booking confirmations
- Pronoun — optional, used to address you correctly
- FetLife username — optional, used to verify your identity as part of our membership approval process
- Age confirmation — a record that you have confirmed you are 18 or over
- GDPR consent — a record that you have agreed to this privacy policy
- Booking history — records of events you have booked and attended
- Password — stored as a secure, one-way encrypted hash. We cannot see your password
We do not collect or store payment card details. All payments are processed securely by SumUp, our payment provider. Please refer to SumUp's privacy policy for details of how they handle payment data.
Why We Collect Your Data
We collect and use your personal data for the following purposes:
- Account management — to create and manage your membership, and to verify your identity before approving your account
- Booking and ticketing — to process your event bookings and send you confirmation emails
- Event communications — to send you booking confirmations and relevant information about events you have booked
- Safety and safeguarding — to ensure all members are 18 or over and have provided informed consent
- Door management — to verify your booking at events using your booking reference
Our legal basis for processing your data is contract (processing is necessary to fulfil your membership and booking), consent (which you provide at registration), and legitimate interests (safety and membership management).
Cookies
This website uses a single session cookie to keep you logged in during your visit. This is a strictly necessary cookie — without it, the site cannot function. It is temporary and is deleted when you close your browser or log out.
We do not use advertising cookies, tracking cookies, or any third-party analytics cookies. We do not share your browsing data with any third parties for marketing purposes.
Who We Share Your Data With
We do not sell or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes. We share limited data with the following service providers solely to operate this website:
- SumUp — our payment processor. When you purchase tickets, your payment is handled by SumUp. We share your booking reference and amount with SumUp but not your personal details
- Krystal Hosting — our UK-based web hosting provider, who store the data on our behalf on servers located in the United Kingdom
All data is stored on servers located in the United Kingdom.
How Long We Keep Your Data
We retain your personal data for as long as your membership is active. If your account is cancelled:
- Your account details are retained for up to 2 years for safety and safeguarding purposes
- Booking records are retained for up to 6 years for financial record keeping
- You may request deletion of your data at any time — see Your Rights below
Your Rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Right of access — you can request a copy of the data we hold about you
- Right to rectification — you can update your pronoun and FetLife username via your profile page. For changes to your name or email, please contact us
- Right to erasure — you can request that we delete your personal data. Note that some data may be retained for legal reasons
- Right to restrict processing — you can ask us to limit how we use your data
- Right to object — you can object to our processing of your data in certain circumstances
- Right to data portability — you can request your data in a portable format
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@thestudionw.co.uk. We will respond within 30 days.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe your data has been handled incorrectly. Visit ico.org.uk for more information.
How We Protect Your Data
We take the security of your personal data seriously:
- All data is transmitted over HTTPS (encrypted connection)
- Passwords are stored using bcrypt hashing — we cannot see your password
- Database credentials are stored securely and not accessible via the web
- Access to member data is restricted to the site administrator
- We do not store payment card details — all payments are handled by SumUp
Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns or requests regarding this privacy policy or your personal data, please contact us: