Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 2026

Kara Strings respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and safeguard personal information when you visit our website (karastrings.co.uk), make an enquiry, request a quote, book our services, communicate with us, or otherwise interact with us.

This Privacy Policy is intended to comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and other applicable UK privacy and electronic communications laws.

1. Who We Are

Kara Strings is a professional string ensemble booking agency providing live music for weddings, corporate events, private functions, studio recordings, and related services.

Controller: Kara Strings Ltd
Website: karastrings.co.uk
Email: info@karastrings.co.uk
Phone: 07961 094 133
Business address: 15 Tanner House, Tanner Street, London SE1 3LL

For the purposes of data protection law, Kara Strings Ltd is the controller of the personal data described in this Privacy Policy, unless we tell you otherwise.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

2.1 Information you provide to us

– Name, title, email address, telephone number, postal address
– Event details, booking preferences, venue information, music preferences, and special requirements
– Correspondence with us, including emails, messages, enquiry forms, and phone notes
– Billing details and invoice information
– Information you provide in relation to complaints, feedback, or contractual issues

2.2 Information we collect automatically

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:
– IP address
– Browser type and version
– Device type and operating system
– Time zone setting
– Pages viewed, time spent on pages, and navigation activity
– Referring website or search terms
– Cookie identifiers and similar tracking information

2.3 Payment information

We do not store your full payment card details on our own systems. Payments may be processed by third-party payment providers. Those providers may collect and process payment information in accordance with their own privacy notices.

2.4 Special category data

We do not routinely request special category data. However, you may voluntarily provide information that reveals religious beliefs, health information, dietary requirements, mobility needs, accessibility requirements, or other sensitive information relevant to an event. If you provide such information, we will only use it where necessary and in accordance with applicable data protection law.

3. How We Use Your Personal Data

We may use your personal data to:
– respond to enquiries and provide quotes
– manage bookings and event administration
– communicate with you about your booking, event details, and changes
– coordinate with performers, venues, and suppliers where necessary for the booking
– issue invoices, process payments, and keep accounting records
– provide customer service and handle complaints or disputes
– improve our website, operations, and services
– send service-related communications
– send marketing communications where permitted by law or with your consent
– comply with legal, accounting, tax, and regulatory obligations
– protect our business against fraud, abuse, or misuse

4. Legal Bases for Processing

We only process personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so. Depending on the circumstances, our lawful bases include:

4.1 Contract

We process personal data where it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, including managing bookings, communicating about events, and arranging performance services.

4.2 Legitimate interests

We may process personal data where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms. This may include:
– responding to enquiries
– managing and growing our business
– improving our website and services
– maintaining records
– preventing fraud and misuse
– limited direct marketing to business contacts or existing customers, where permitted by law

4.3 Consent

Where required, we rely on your consent, for example for certain marketing emails or non-essential cookies. You may withdraw consent at any time.

4.4 Legal obligation

We may process personal data where necessary to comply with legal obligations, including tax, accounting, and record-keeping requirements.

5. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to operate properly, improve performance, and understand how visitors use the site.

We may use:
– Strictly necessary cookies – required for the website to function
– Analytics cookies – help us understand how visitors use the site
– Preference cookies – remember settings and choices
– Marketing cookies – used only where permitted and, where required, with your consent

Where required by law, we will ask for your consent before placing non-essential cookies. You can manage cookies through your browser settings and, where available, our cookie banner or cookie settings tool.

6. Disclosure of Personal Data

We do not sell your personal data. We may share personal data with the following categories of recipients where necessary:
– performers and other personnel involved in your booking
– venues, event planners, or suppliers involved in the event
– payment processors
– website hosting providers and IT service providers
– email and communications providers
– accounting, legal, or professional advisers
– analytics providers
– HMRC, regulators, courts, law enforcement, or other public authorities where required by law

Where we use third-party service providers, we require them to take appropriate steps to protect your data.

7. International Transfers

Some of our service providers may be located outside the UK. If we transfer personal data outside the UK, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as an adequacy regulation, the UK International Data Transfer Agreement, or other lawful transfer mechanism.

8. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

These measures may include access controls, secure hosting, encryption where appropriate, least-privilege access, and contractual protections with service providers. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect your information.

9. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, accounting, tax, insurance, and reporting requirements.

Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the purpose of processing. For example, booking and accounting records may need to be retained for several years after the event or transaction. When personal data is no longer needed, we will delete or anonymise it.

10. Your Rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the following rights under UK data protection law:
– the right to be informed
– the right of access
– the right to rectification
– the right to erasure
– the right to restrict processing
– the right to object to processing
– the right to data portability
– the right to withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent

You also have rights in relation to automated decision-making, although we do not currently use personal data for decisions made solely by automated means that produce legal or similarly significant effects.

If you want to exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@karastrings.co.uk. We may need to verify your identity before responding. We aim to respond within one month, although this may be extended where permitted by law for complex or multiple requests.

11. Marketing Communications

If you receive marketing communications from us, you can opt out at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions in the message or by contacting us directly.

We will only send electronic marketing where permitted by law and, where required, with your consent.

12. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security, or content of those websites. Please review their privacy policies before providing any personal data to them.

13. Children’s Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 without appropriate consent where required by law. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it where required.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal obligations. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised “Last updated” date.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us:

Email: info@karastrings.co.uk
Phone: 07961 094 133
Address: 15 Tanner House, Tanner Street, London SE1 3LL

16. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

Website: https://ico.org.uk
Helpline: 0303 123 1113
Address: Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF