Privacy policy

Last updated: 6 October 2026

This privacy policy explains how North Tyne Sites collects, uses and looks after personal information. It is written in plain English for visitors and clients of northtynesites.co.uk.

North Tyne Sites is a UK sole trader business run by Finlay Briton. It builds and maintains Squarespace websites for small local businesses around NE12 (Killingworth, Longbenton and Forest Hall) and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Who is responsible for your data

The data controller is Finlay Briton, trading as North Tyne Sites.

You can contact Finlay by email at info@northtynesites.co.uk. Please make any privacy requests by email.

What this policy covers

This policy covers personal information processed in connection with:

  • visits to the North Tyne Sites website
  • enquiries made through the contact form
  • emails and other contact about websites
  • client work (builds, maintenance, invoices and related records)

If North Tyne Sites builds or maintains a website for a client, that client's own site may collect visitor data. The client is the data controller for their own site. North Tyne Sites only helps build and maintain it, and does not control how the client uses visitor data on their site.

What information is collected

When you use the website

The website is hosted on Squarespace. Squarespace may set essential cookies (needed for the site to work) and analytics cookies (to understand how the site is used). Cookie choices and details appear in the cookie banner on the site. For more on how Squarespace uses cookies, see Squarespace's own cookie and privacy information.

When you send an enquiry

The contact form may collect:

  • first name and last name
  • email address
  • business name (optional)
  • a short description of what you need

Form entries are stored in Squarespace and sent by email notification to Finlay's Google Gmail inbox. The form uses Google reCAPTCHA to help stop spam.

When you become a client

For client work, North Tyne Sites may hold:

  • your contact details
  • project details needed to build or maintain your website
  • invoice and payment records

Your website is hosted on Squarespace.

Business outreach

Finlay may contact local businesses about websites using publicly listed business contact details (for example a published email or phone number on a business website or directory). This is not a marketing list bought or sold by North Tyne Sites.

How information is used

Personal information is used to:

  • reply to enquiries and provide quotes
  • build, host and maintain client websites under a contract (or steps leading to one)
  • send invoices and keep business records
  • protect the site from spam and abuse (including through reCAPTCHA)
  • contact local businesses about website services, where that is fair and expected
  • meet legal duties, such as keeping tax records for HMRC

North Tyne Sites does not sell personal data and does not run marketing mailing lists.

Lawful bases

Under UK GDPR, processing rests on one or more of these bases:

  • Legitimate interests: answering enquiries, protecting the site from spam, and contacting local businesses about websites using publicly available details. You can object or opt out at any time (see Your rights and Opting out of outreach below).
  • Contract (or steps before a contract): preparing quotes, building and maintaining websites, and related client communication.
  • Legal obligation: keeping tax and accounting records as required by HMRC.

Where consent is relied on (for example for certain non-essential cookies, if the banner asks for it), you can withdraw that consent at any time through the cookie controls or by emailing info@northtynesites.co.uk.

Who information is shared with

Personal information is shared only as needed to run the business, including with:

  • Squarespace: website hosting, forms, and related site services (processor)
  • Google: email (Google Workspace or Gmail) and reCAPTCHA for spam protection

These providers act under their own terms and privacy policies, and process data on Finlay's instructions where they are processors.

Information may also be shared if the law requires it (for example with HMRC or in response to a valid legal request).

International transfers

Squarespace and Google may process data outside the United Kingdom. Where that happens, appropriate safeguards are used, such as the UK International Data Transfer Addendum or reliance on adequacy regulations, so that UK data protection standards are maintained.

How long information is kept

  • Enquiries that do not go ahead: deleted within 12 months of the last contact.
  • Client records and invoices: kept for 6 years after the end of the relevant tax year (to meet HMRC record-keeping expectations).
  • Outreach notes: deleted within 12 months, or straight away if you opt out.

When information is no longer needed, it is deleted or anonymised where practicable.

Security

Reasonable technical and organisational measures are used to protect personal information. Accounts used for the business (including Squarespace and Google) are protected with strong passwords and two-factor authentication where available.

No online service can be guaranteed completely secure, but care is taken to reduce risk.

Your rights

Under UK data protection law you have the right to:

  • access your personal data
  • rectify inaccurate or incomplete data
  • erase data in certain circumstances
  • restrict processing in certain circumstances
  • object to processing based on legitimate interests
  • data portability in certain circumstances
  • withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

To exercise any of these rights, email info@northtynesites.co.uk. You should receive a reply within one month.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

Opting out of outreach

If Finlay contacts you about websites using publicly listed business details, you can opt out at any time by replying to that message or emailing info@northtynesites.co.uk. Outreach notes are then deleted straight away.

Children

North Tyne Sites' services are not aimed at people under 18. The website and contact form are not intended for children's use.

Changes to this policy

This policy may be updated from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top will change when it does. Please check this page if you want to stay informed.

How to get in touch

For any privacy question or request:

Email: info@northtynesites.co.uk