Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 12 November 2025

Introduction

HelloBicester (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information when you use our websites (hellobicester.co.uk and hellobicester.com) and subscribe to our newsletter.

HelloBicester is operated from Bicester, United Kingdom, and complies with UK GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and Data Protection Act 2018.

Note: Both hellobicester.com and hellobicester.co.uk are operated by HelloBicester. The .com domain redirects to our primary website at hellobicester.co.uk.

Information We Collect For Better Service Experience

1. Information You Provide Directly

When you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect:

  • Email address (required)
  • First name (optional)
  • Subscription preferences (if you customize your subscription)

2. Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect:

  • Technical information: IP address, browser type, device type, operating system
  • Usage data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, referring website
  • Cookie data: See our Cookie Policy section below

3. Information from Third Parties

We do not purchase or receive personal data from third-party data brokers.

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

Newsletter Delivery

  • Send you our weekly HelloBicester newsletter every Friday
  • Deliver content about local Bicester stories, events, and businesses
  • Send occasional updates about HelloBicester services (with your consent)

Website Improvement

  • Analyze website traffic and user behavior
  • Improve our content and user experience
  • Troubleshoot technical issues

Legal Compliance

  • Comply with legal obligations
  • Protect our rights and prevent fraud
  • Respond to legal requests from authorities

Marketing (With Your Consent)

  • Send information about local business partnerships
  • Share surveys or feedback requests
  • Promote HelloBicester VIP membership (if applicable)

Legal Basis for Processing (UK GDPR)

We process your personal data under the following legal bases:

  • Consent: You have given clear consent for us to process your email address to send newsletters
  • Legitimate interests: We have a legitimate interest in analyzing website usage to improve our services
  • Legal obligation: We may process data to comply with legal requirements

Third-Party Services We Use

ConvertKit (Email Service Provider)

We use ConvertKit to manage our email newsletter subscribers and send emails.

  • Data shared: Email address, first name (if provided), subscription status
  • Location: ConvertKit stores data in the United States
  • Privacy Policy: https://kit.com/privacy
  • Data processing agreement: ConvertKit complies with GDPR requirements

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website.

Website Hosting Provider

Our website is hosted on Namecheap Hosting.

  • Data stored: Website files, visitor logs, technical data
  • Security: Industry-standard security measures including SSL encryption
  • Location: EU

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our website. They help us improve your experience and analyze website performance.

Types of Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies

Purpose: Enable core website functionality
Duration: Session or persistent
Examples: Login status, cookie consent preferences
Can you opt out?: No – these are necessary for the website to function

Analytics Cookies

Purpose: Understand how visitors use our website
Provider: Google Analytics
Duration: Up to 2 years
Can you opt out?: Yes – through cookie banner or browser settings

Marketing Cookies (If Applicable)

Purpose: Deliver relevant content and track campaign performance
Duration: Varies
Can you opt out?: Yes – through cookie banner

Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You can manage cookies through:

  • Our cookie consent banner (appears on first visit)
  • Your browser settings (instructions: aboutcookies.org)
  • Google Analytics opt-out tool

Note: Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

How We Protect Your Data

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information:

  • SSL encryption for data transmitted between your browser and our website
  • Secure servers with regular security updates and monitoring
  • Access controls limiting who can access subscriber data
  • Regular backups to prevent data loss
  • Third-party audits of our email service provider (ConvertKit)

However, no internet transmission is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Retention

Newsletter Subscribers

We retain your email address and associated data for as long as you remain subscribed. After you unsubscribe:

  • Your data is removed from active mailing lists immediately
  • ConvertKit retains minimal data (email address and unsubscribe status) to prevent re-subscription
  • We may keep anonymized analytics data indefinitely

Website Analytics

Google Analytics data is retained for 26 months, then automatically deleted.

Legal Obligations

We may retain certain data longer if required by law or to resolve disputes.

Your Rights Under UK GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right to Access

Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.

Right to Rectification

Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.

Right to Erasure (“Right to Be Forgotten”)

Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal exceptions.

Right to Restrict Processing

Ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.

Right to Data Portability

Receive your data in a machine-readable format to transfer to another service.

Right to Object

Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.

Right to Withdraw Consent

Withdraw consent at any time (e.g., unsubscribe from emails).

Right to Lodge a Complaint

File a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, contact us:

We will respond within one month of receiving your request.

Unsubscribe from Emails

Click the “Unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any HelloBicester email, or email us directly.

Children’s Privacy

HelloBicester is intended for adults aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13. If you believe we have collected data from a child, please contact us immediately.

International Data Transfers

Your data may be transferred to and stored in countries outside the UK/EU, specifically:

  • United States (ConvertKit servers)

These transfers are protected by:

  • Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the UK/EU
  • Privacy Shield certification (where applicable)
  • GDPR-compliant data processing agreements

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy occasionally to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements.

  • Notification method: Email to subscribers and prominent website notice
  • Effective date: Changes take effect 30 days after notification
  • Your options: If you disagree with changes, you can unsubscribe

Last updated: November 12, 2025

Contact Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data:
Email: support@HelloBicester.com

Additional Policies

Spam Policy

We will never:

  • Sell your email address to third parties
  • Send unsolicited emails you didn’t consent to
  • Share your data for others’ marketing purposes

Data Breach Notification

If a data breach affects your personal information, we will:

  • Notify you within 72 hours of discovering the breach
  • Report the breach to the ICO if required by law
  • Provide details about what data was affected and steps you should take

Consent

By subscribing to HelloBicester, you consent to:

  • Collection and processing of your email address for newsletter delivery
  • Use of cookies and analytics as described in this policy
  • Transfer of data to third-party service providers (ConvertKit, Google Analytics)

You can withdraw consent at any time by unsubscribing or contacting us.