Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to The Bar Smart Group ("we," "our," or "us"). Operating as Bar Smart Group Ltd (Company No. 17052831), registered in England and Wales at 328 Huddersfield Road, Mirfield, England, WF14 9DQ, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and safeguard your personal and commercial data when you visit our website, upload documents (such as invoices), or engage our procurement, benchmarking, and consultancy services.

2. The Data We Collect

We may collect, use, store, and transfer different kinds of data about you and your business, including:

  • Contact & Identity Data: Full name, business email address, phone number, job title, and venue/company name.

  • Commercial & Financial Data: Invoices, supplier payment statements, utility contracts, merchant service statements, and pricing records submitted via our online upload forms for benchmarking purposes.

  • Technical Data: IP address, browser type and version, time zone setting, operating system, and hardware specifications collected automatically when accessing our website.

  • Usage Data: Information about how you navigate and interact with our website, forms, and articles.

  • Marketing & Communication Preferences: Your preferences in receiving updates, industry insights, and promotional communications from us.

3. How We Collect Your Data

We use different methods to collect data from and about you, including:

  • Direct Interactions: You provide personal and business data by filling in forms on our site, uploading invoices, requesting quotes, contacting us via email/phone, or engaging our benchmarking services.

  • Automated Technologies: As you interact with our website, we automatically collect Technical Data via cookies, server logs, and similar technologies.

  • Third Parties & Public Sources: We may receive corporate data from public registries, such as Companies House, or third-party business directories.

4. How We Use Your Data & Legal Basis

We will only collect and process your personal and commercial data when UK and EU data protection laws permit us to do so. Under Article 6 of the UK GDPR, we rely on specific legal bases depending on the purpose of the data processing activity:

  • Contractual Necessity (Article 6(1)(b)): Processing necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract.

  • Legitimate Interests (Article 6(1)(f)): Processing necessary for our legitimate commercial interests (or those of a third party), provided your fundamental rights and interests do not override those interests.

  • Legal Obligation (Article 6(1)(c)): Processing necessary to comply with a statutory or regulatory duty imposed on us.

  • Consent (Article 6(1)(a)): Processing where you have given explicit permission for a specified purpose.

Detailed Processing Overview

Purpose / Operational Activity Types of Data Used Legal Basis under UK GDPR

Invoice Analysis & Price Benchmarking:

Reviewing uploaded invoices (alcohol, utilities, waste, merchant services) to perform cost analysis and calculate potential savings.

Contact Data, Identity Data, Financial & Commercial Records

Contractual Necessity / Steps Prior to Contract: Necessary to perform the cost audit requested by you.

Legitimate Interests: To evaluate potential savings across our supplier network.

Service Provision & Group Buying Access:

Facilitating group purchasing rates, managing supplier introductions, and executing commercial consultancy agreements.

Contact Data, Identity Data, Financial Data, Account Records Contractual Necessity: Necessary to fulfil our agreement and provide ongoing procurement support.

Customer Communications & Support:

Responding to web form inquiries, telephone consultations, administrative notifications, or support requests.

Contact Data, Identity Data, Communication Logs Legitimate Interests: Necessary to manage client relationships, handle queries efficiently, and maintain high customer service standards.

Direct B2B Marketing & Insights:

Sending targeted industry news, benchmark insights, group rate opportunities, and promotional offers.

Contact Data, Marketing & Communication Preferences

Consent: Where required by e-privacy regulations (e.g., individual subscriber opt-ins).

Legitimate Interests: Soft opt-in for existing corporate clients and business contacts, with an easy unsubscribe option provided in every communication.

Platform Maintenance & Cyber Security:

Monitoring web traffic, preventing fraudulent uploads, protecting server security, and optimizing site performance.

Technical Data (IP addresses, browser logs), Usage Data Legitimate Interests: To ensure website safety, prevent cyber threats, and optimize digital user experience.

Accounting, Auditing & Legal Compliance:

Maintaining business records, managing tax filings, and responding to regulatory demands or legal claims.

Contact Data, Commercial Data, Transactional Records

Legal Obligation: To comply with UK tax, financial, and corporate governance laws.

Legitimate Interests: Defending or establishing legal claims.

5. Sharing Your Data

Your information is treated as strictly confidential. We do not sell your personal or business data. However, we may share your data with trusted third parties under specific circumstances:

  • Approved Service Providers: Vetted IT infrastructure providers, web hosting services, and secure form delivery platforms that assist in running our digital infrastructure.

  • Commercial Partners & Wholesalers: With your explicit consent or direction, we share relevant commercial data with trusted wholesale suppliers (e.g., alcohol suppliers, utility providers, payment processors) to match or secure improved rates for your venue.

  • Legal & Regulatory Obligations: If required by applicable laws, legal processes, regulatory bodies, or enforcing authorities.

6. Document Uploads & Data Security

When you upload invoices or financial documents via our secure form:

  • The information uploaded is strictly utilized to perform pricing benchmarking, cost comparisons, and group rate evaluation.

  • Documents are stored within encrypted storage with restricted access limited solely to authorized personnel handling your audit.

  • We maintain physical, operational, and electronic controls to safeguard against unauthorized access, loss, or alteration.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal and commercial data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including for satisfying legal, accounting, or regulatory requirements.

Invoices uploaded for one-off rate checks that do not proceed into formal service agreements are deleted or anonymized once the analysis is completed and communicated.

8. International Data Transfers

Where data is processed outside the UK or the European Economic Area (EEA)—such as via cloud infrastructure providers—we ensure appropriate security measures are in place, including Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or International Data Transfer Agreements (IDTAs) to maintain GDPR-level protection.

9. Your Legal Rights

Under UK/EU GDPR laws, you have rights regarding your personal data:

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

  • Correction: Request rectification of inaccurate or incomplete data.

  • Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten") under certain conditions.

  • Object / Restrict: Object to our processing based on legitimate interests or request restrictions on data handling.

  • Data Portability: Request transfer of your data to another service provider.

  • Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on your consent.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us directly at info@thebarsmartgroup.com.

10. How to Complain to the ICO (Data Protection Authority)

We appreciate the opportunity to resolve any concerns or complaints you have regarding how we handle your data. Please contact us first so we can address your concerns.

However, if you feel that your data protection rights have been breached or that we have not handled your privacy concern adequately, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK data protection supervisory authority: the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

How to Contact the ICO:

11. Cookies & Tracking

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance user experience and analyse web traffic. You can manage or disable cookies at any time through your web browser settings.

12. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external sites, social media pages, or third-party resources. Clicking those links may allow third parties to collect or share data about you. We do not control these external websites and are not responsible for their individual privacy practices.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to update this policy as legal requirements or our business services evolve. Any updates will be posted on this page with a revised "Effective Date."

14. Contact Details

If you have questions regarding this Privacy Policy or wish to make a request regarding your data, please contact us: