Privacy notice

• Public venue information: facts from official sources, details supplied by a venue and public standard or audit summaries.
• Account and identity checks: contact details, your role, sign-in events, proof that you represent a venue and security records.
• Venue standard and audit information: answers, required statements, details about evidence, decisions, appeals and a record of actions that cannot be silently changed.
• Private mediation information: names, messages, offers, agreements, evidence, access needs, delivery records and logs of staff access.
• Service information: essential logs, codes used for the API request limit, signs of fraud, consent choices and privacy-friendly usage totals.

The final notice will state the legal reason, called the lawful basis, for each use. We expect to use information to provide the services people ask for, keep the service secure, check venue claims, apply the published venue standard, meet legal duties and prevent errors or misuse.

We do not use private mediation details to make a public or hidden complaint score. We do not sell advertising profiles or use mediation details to improve a venue's rank.

The free venue API uses the network address sent by our trusted hosting service to group requests. The app immediately turns it into a protected code using a secret key. The API never returns that address or code.

People on the same workplace, mobile or shared network may share one limit of 30 requests in 60 seconds. The local preview only keeps active limits in memory and removes them when they expire or the app closes.

Before launch, the shared live service must use a short, documented deletion time. The final notice must name the hosting provider, the legal reason for this use and any longer security-log period.

Venue and area pages have an optional background map. It does not ask for or use your location.

The map files load from OpenFreeMap only when the map section comes near your screen. This sends a normal web request, including your network address and basic browser request details, to OpenFreeMap's delivery provider. OpenFreeMap says it does not keep visitor network-address logs by default, but its delivery provider may process requests to deliver and protect the service.

You can use the venue list without loading the map. Read the OpenFreeMap privacy information.

Public pages may show official venue facts, clearly labelled information from the venue, its standard status, total and score-area results, the version used, end dates and a checked audit summary.

We do not publish individual answers, original proof, photos, file names, staff or customer details, representative details or the private mediation contact. They do not appear in the public API either.

With separate permission, a public mediation record can show the month, a broad non-sensitive type of issue and a simple status. We only show it after checking the reporter's email, matching the exact venue and confirming that we notified the venue.

We only publish an outcome when both people approve exactly the same neutral wording and an authorised privacy reviewer approves it.

We never publish the reporter's identity, exact dates, case number, story, messages, offers, private agreement, evidence, file names, safety details, feedback or staff notes.

The public record is a short summary. It does not give access to the private case. We do not publish reports that are unverified, unmatched, repeated, abusive, outside the service or held for safety reasons.

Safeguarding and possible crime always stay private. We do not publish how many reports we withhold.

Choosing a public record is optional. It is separate from permission to share a report summary with the venue. Saying no does not stop mediation.

A reporter can remove this permission in the private case area. This removes the public record but does not end the case. If anyone edits a proposed public outcome, both people must approve the new wording again.

A mediation report is a request to resolve an issue. It is not a finding of fault, wrongdoing or legal liability. Public activity is not used to create a score, rank, search boost or certification input.

A case number identifies a case. It does not unlock it. People use verified links that expire or a secure signed-in session. Staff need the right role, stronger sign-in checks and logged access. Staff who only edit public pages cannot read cases.

We encrypt identity details. We also use separate protected codes when the service needs to find them.

Notifications contain as little sensitive information as possible. A one-time link only opens after the person confirms it. This helps stop email security scanners from opening a case by mistake.

We may use contracted providers for hosting, sign-in, email, security, audits and professional advice. They may only use information for the agreed purpose and under suitable terms.

Each person in mediation can see the shared case record meant for both sides. They cannot see the other person's private form answers or staff notes.

We may share information with the right public body when the law requires it or to deal with a serious and immediate safeguarding risk. The final notice will explain any safeguards used when information goes outside the UK.

We remove unverified forms and expired access links quickly. We keep active account, venue standard and mediation records while they are needed to provide the service.

We delete or remove names from closed cases on a published timetable. We may keep small security and decision records for longer when this is necessary and reasonable.

The live service will use documented deletion settings. A legal hold only pauses deletion for the affected records, and we record when this happens.

Where the law gives you the right, you can ask to see, correct, delete or limit the use of your information. You can object to some uses or ask for a copy you can move to another service.

You can withdraw optional consent at any time. This does not make earlier lawful use invalid. We must check your identity before we show or change private information.

Contact privacy@bars.co.uk. To correct a public venue fact, use the correction page. The final notice will name the regulator and explain how to complain to it.

Essential cookies and local storage help with security, sign-in, saved forms and preferences. Optional usage tracking stays off until you agree, where the law requires consent.

Public widgets do not set cookies that track people across sites. They do not tell a venue who visited a page containing the widget.

Children should not create venue accounts. A person may still need to report something involving a child or a safeguarding concern. We collect only what is needed and use a protected process.

Do not send health information, fingerprints, face scans, claims about crime or other highly sensitive information unless it is needed and the form asks for it.