Privacy Policy

Information we handle

If you use the contact form, we collect the name, email address and message you choose to provide. The form does not add your IP address, browser or device details to the contact message.

Like most websites, our hosting systems may separately create limited access, error and security logs when they deliver a page or receive a form submission. These can include an IP address, requested URL, time and basic browser information.

Google Analytics is used only after you choose to accept Analytics cookies. If you consent, Google Analytics may receive a randomly generated cookie identifier, pages viewed, approximate geographical area, browser and device details, and session and interaction data.

Before Analytics information is sent to Google, this website removes query strings from the page address and referring address supplied to Analytics. This helps prevent terms entered into the archive’s search facility from appearing in Analytics reports.

Why we use information

• to read and respond to enquiries and correction reports;
• to operate, maintain and protect the website;
• to understand and improve use of the archive where analytics consent has been given; and
• to meet a legal obligation where one applies.

We rely on legitimate interests to operate and protect the archive, respond to enquiries and investigate correction reports. Our legitimate interests are maintaining a useful and secure historical archive and communicating with people who contact us.

We rely on consent for optional Google Analytics. You may withdraw that consent at any time. We rely on legal obligation where processing or retaining information is required by law.

Service providers

We use service providers to host, maintain and protect the website, SMTP2GO to deliver contact-form messages, and Google Analytics where you have consented. Our SMTP2GO account is hosted in the European Union. Where a provider acts as our processor, it handles personal information on our instructions and under contractual data-protection terms. Providers may use subprocessors where permitted by their agreements with us.

Some providers or their subprocessors may process personal information outside the United Kingdom. Where this results in a restricted international transfer, we take steps to ensure that the transfer is permitted under UK data-protection law, including by relying on applicable adequacy regulations or appropriate contractual safeguards. You may contact us for further information about the safeguards used.

We do not sell your personal information or use contact details for a mailing list.

How long information is kept

Ordinary contact messages are retained for up to 12 months after the enquiry has been resolved. Information may be kept for longer where reasonably needed to deal with an unresolved matter, establish or defend a legal claim, or meet a legal obligation.

Technical logs are kept only while reasonably needed to detect and investigate security incidents, diagnose failures and maintain the integrity of the website. The period depends on the type of log and whether an incident remains unresolved; logs are deleted or overwritten when they are no longer needed for those purposes.

Our Google Analytics property is configured to retain event data for two months and user data for 14 months. The user-data retention period resets when new activity is recorded for that user.

Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may ask for access to your personal information, correction, deletion, restriction of its use or transfer of information you have provided.

Where we rely on legitimate interests, you have the right to object to our use of your personal information.

You may withdraw Analytics consent at any time through Cookie preferences. Withdrawing consent does not affect processing that took place before consent was withdrawn.

You can contact the data controller, ask a privacy question or exercise a data-protection right through the contact form. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Who we are

The Cook’s Guide is operated by Gerald Binns trading as Emvidor Digital.

For UK data-protection purposes, Gerald Binns trading as Emvidor Digital is the data controller. We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office under registration number ZC123672.

Cookies and other websites

See the Cookie Policy for the browser storage and analytics cookies used by this website. Links to third-party websites are governed by those sites’ own privacy practices.

Changes

We may update this policy when the website or its services change. The current version and date will remain available on this page.