Privacy Policy

Niche Eats ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, and your rights under UK data protection law (UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018). We're the data controller for the information described below.

1. What We Collect

Depending on how you use the Site, we may collect:

• Visitors: anonymised usage data via Google Analytics (pages viewed, general location, device type) — only if you've accepted analytics cookies.
• Claim & listing submissions: your name, email address, and any message you include.
• Restaurant owner accounts: your name, email address, and a securely hashed password (we never store your actual password).
• Content you provide: photos, menus, and listing details you upload once you manage a listing.

2. How We Use It

• To operate, maintain, and improve the Site.
• To review and process listing claims and new listing submissions.
• To send transactional emails about your account or listing (e.g. confirming a claim, approving a listing, verifying your email).
• To send occasional marketing emails to restaurant owners about features, tips, and promotions — always with a one-click unsubscribe link, and only if you haven't opted out.
• To understand how the Site is used, if you've consented to analytics cookies.

3. Legal Basis

We process your data under one or more of these legal bases: performance of a contract (managing your listing or account), our legitimate interests (running and improving the Site, preventing fraud), and your consent (marketing emails, analytics cookies) — which you can withdraw at any time.

4. Cookies

We use a small number of strictly necessary cookies to keep you signed in to your account. With your consent, we also use Google Analytics cookies to understand how the Site is used. You can accept or reject analytics cookies via the banner shown on your first visit, and change your mind at any time using the "Cookie Preferences" link in the footer.

5. Sharing Your Data

We share data with a small number of trusted service providers who help us run the Site:

• SMTP2GO — to deliver transactional and marketing emails.
• Google Analytics — for anonymised, consent-based usage analytics.
• Cloudflare — for security and performance (content delivery, DDoS protection).
• Our hosting provider — to store and run the Site and its database.

We don't sell your personal data, and we only share what's necessary for these providers to do their job.

6. Data Retention

We keep account and listing data for as long as your account or listing is active, and for a reasonable period afterwards in case you return or for legal/accounting purposes. Claim and listing submissions that are rejected are retained for a limited period for record-keeping, then deleted.

7. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Ask us to correct inaccurate data.
• Ask us to delete your data ("the right to be forgotten").
• Object to or restrict certain processing.
• Request your data in a portable format.
• Withdraw consent at any time, where we rely on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, email [email protected]. You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

8. Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including encrypted connections (HTTPS) and securely hashed passwords. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to protect your information appropriately.

9. Children's Privacy

Niche Eats isn't directed at children, and we don't knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 16.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Significant changes will be reflected by an updated "last updated" date at the top of this page.

11. Contact

Questions about this policy or your data? Email [email protected]. See also our Terms & Conditions.