Privacy notice
Last updated: 17 October 2026.
1. Who we are
GroundsBids is an independent UK service. The operator's full legal name and service address will be added here shortly ("we", "us"). We are the controller of the personal data described here. Our Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) registration (data protection fee) is being completed, and the registration number will be shown here. Contact: hello@groundsbids.co.uk.
2. Data we collect and why
| Data | Purpose | Lawful basis (UK GDPR Art. 6) |
|---|---|---|
| Your email address, name (optional), company and chosen coverage area when you subscribe | Sending the weekly digest you asked for | Consent (6(1)(a)) for the free issues; contract (6(1)(b)) for paid plans |
| Billing details for paid plans | Taking payment, invoicing, refunds | Contract (6(1)(b)); legal obligation (6(1)(c)) for tax records |
| Business contact details of companies (a company's generic email address such as info@ or office@, company name and number, and public contract information), taken from the company's own website, Companies House and public procurement notices | Contacting companies that bid for public-sector grounds and tree work, to offer free sample issues (B2B outreach) | Legitimate interests (6(1)(f)). See section 3 |
| Emails you send us, including "yes", "unsubscribe" or "stop" replies | Answering you and keeping a suppression list so we never contact you again after you opt out | Legitimate interests (6(1)(f)); legal obligation for the suppression list |
| Basic delivery data (bounces; opens and clicks if our email provider records them) | Deliverability and improving the digest | Legitimate interests (6(1)(f)) |
3. Business-to-business outreach and legitimate interests
We may send a small number of emails (no more than 3) to companies about the GroundsBids service. We only use generic business addresses that companies publish themselves (for example info@ or office@). We don't use personal named addresses for cold outreach, and we only write to incorporated bodies (limited companies, LLPs and PLCs), as the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) allow. We have balanced our interest in telling contractors about relevant public tenders against your interests and rights (a legitimate interests assessment), and we have limited the outreach to: business contexts only; information relevant to your trade; a clear sender identity and address in every message; and a simple way to opt out. If you reply "unsubscribe" or "stop", or object in any other way, we stop straight away. We keep only the minimum needed (the address and the date) on a suppression list, to make sure we don't contact you again.
4. Where the data comes from
If you didn't give us your data directly, it came from: the company's own public website (we record the page URL), Companies House (Open Government Licence) and public procurement notices on Find a Tender and Contracts Finder (Open Government Licence v3.0).
5. Who we share it with
We use service providers who act as processors on our behalf: our email/newsletter provider Buttondown, our payment provider Stripe and our website host Cloudflare. Some may process data outside the UK. When they do, this is protected by UK adequacy regulations or the UK International Data Transfer Agreement/Addendum. We don't sell or rent personal data.
6. How long we keep it
- Subscribers: while you're subscribed, then deleted within 30 days of unsubscribing.
- B2B outreach records with no reply: deleted 12 months after the last email.
- Suppression list: kept indefinitely (address and date only) so we respect your opt-out.
- Billing records: 6 years (HMRC requirement).
7. Your rights
You have the right to access, correct, delete, restrict or transfer your data. You can object to processing based on legitimate interests (including direct marketing, which is an absolute right) and withdraw consent at any time. Email hello@groundsbids.co.uk. We reply within one month. You can also complain to the ICO: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint, 0303 123 1113.
8. Cookies
This website doesn't set tracking or advertising cookies. If we add analytics later, we'll update this notice and ask for consent where PECR requires it.
9. Changes
We'll update this page if anything changes and show the date at the top.