Good dates. Good people. Clear ground rules.

Privacy & data protection notice

We know dating information can be personal. This notice explains what we collect, why, who we share it with, and how you can control it.

1. Who we are

Haystack Dating Ltd (“Haystack”, “we”, “us”), registered in England and Wales under company number 16142345, with registered office at 5 Brayford Square, London, E1 0SG, is the data controller for the personal information described here. For privacy enquiries, data rights requests or to withdraw matching consent, email privacy@haystack-dating.com.

2. What information we collect

• Your name, contact details, age or date of birth, and booking and attendance details.
• Payment, transaction and refund records (usually handled through our ticketing/payment providers).
• Gender, sexual orientation and dating preferences, including the genders of people you would like to date.
• Answers you choose to give to event questionnaires, including interests, personality, lifestyle and relationship preferences.
• Dietary or accessibility needs you tell us about, and correspondence, feedback, complaints or safeguarding concerns.
• Relevant technical and website information, where collected through our online services.

3. Sources of information

We receive information directly from you, from ticketing platforms such as Fatsoma and Eventbrite, from people booking on your behalf, and where relevant from event staff, venues and service providers. A ticket purchaser cannot give explicit matching consent on another attendee’s behalf: we seek the relevant attendee’s own choice.

4. Why we use it and our lawful bases

We use booking and contact information to provide events, handle payments, communicate with you and deliver customer support, generally where necessary for our contract with you. We use relevant information to run events and arrange groups; where appropriate, we may rely on consent, contract necessity or legitimate interests, depending on the particular purpose. We use information to meet legal and accounting obligations, and to protect guests, handle complaints and secure our services where supported by legal obligation or legitimate interests. We send marketing only where permitted by applicable law; you can opt out at any time.

Booking and contact information is generally needed to provide the booked event. Matching questionnaires are separate: declining sensitive matching questions or consent may prevent us providing the matching element. Dietary and accessibility details are optional but may help us respond to requests.

5. Your separate matching consent

Some matching information, particularly sexual orientation, is special-category personal data under UK GDPR. Where we use it for group matching, we ask each attendee for separate, explicit Yes/No consent. For sexual-orientation information used in matching, we rely on explicit consent under Article 9(2)(a) UK GDPR, alongside an applicable Article 6 lawful basis for the relevant processing.

Our matching consent covers use of your gender, sexual orientation/dating preferences and profile answers to create event groups. You can say No or withdraw consent by emailing privacy@haystack-dating.com. If we cannot create an appropriate group without that information, you may be unable to participate in the matching element; any refund will depend on the circumstances and applicable booking rights. Withdrawal does not undo processing that was lawful before withdrawal.

6. How we create groups: software, AI and people

With the relevant consent, we may use age, gender, sexual orientation and dating preferences, interests, personality, lifestyle and relationship questionnaire answers to create groups and rotations. Depending on the event, matching may involve Haystack-built software, rules-based or points-based algorithms, third-party technology or AI assistance, entirely manual matching, and human review or quality-assurance edits. Not every event uses the same methods, and describing a possible method does not mean it is currently deployed.

Technology may help analyse answers, suggest compatible groups, identify errors or check allocations. Our team may review, rebuild or change groups to account for dating-preference compatibility, age ranges, group balance, venue layout, accessibility, cancellations, late arrivals, withdrawals, no-shows, safety and other practical needs. Analysing preferences for compatibility may constitute profiling. We do not intend to use solely automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects; we assess automated decisions against applicable law and involve people where appropriate. A group allocation is an introduction, not a background check, endorsement or guarantee of compatibility or safety.

Where external technology or AI is used, we aim to limit data to what is necessary and apply appropriate provider safeguards. Sensitive matching fields may still be necessary for the matching task.

7. Who receives information

Depending on the event and service, information may be handled by ticketing providers such as Eventbrite and Fatsoma; payment providers; website, hosting, email and productivity services; AI and other technology providers (including ChatGPT Business for assisted matching); event hosts, venues and contractors where they need limited information; and professional advisers or authorities where appropriate or legally required. Providers may have their own privacy notices for services they independently control. We do not sell guest personal information.

We aim to minimise information shared, restrict access to those who need it, and avoid putting sensitive questionnaire answers on guest-facing group sheets.

8. Event photography and video

We may take photographs and short videos at events and use footage on our website, organic social media, paid advertising or other promotional materials. We try to avoid identifiable faces where possible. If you would prefer to stay off camera, tell our team at the event so we can make a conscious effort to avoid including you. Identifiable imagery is personal data and we assess the applicable lawful basis for its particular use. Contact us if you have concerns, objections or rights requests about footage featuring you; these are considered under applicable law.

9. Dietary, accessibility and other sensitive information

Information shared for dietary or accessibility needs can sometimes reveal health, religion or other special-category information. We use relevant details to consider and arrange accommodations and disclose what is needed to event staff or venues. Where applicable, we identify an Article 9 condition in addition to an Article 6 lawful basis; matching consent does not cover unrelated sensitive information.

10. Guest lists, name displays and event materials

To run events, we may prepare printed or digital guest lists, check-in records, seating plans, name labels, group allocations, rotation sheets and other operational materials. Depending on the purpose, these may include guests' first names, full names, booking identifiers, group or table assignments and attendance information. We may display names or limited identifiers at the venue where useful to help guests find their groups or take part in activities, meaning other attendees may see those details.

Haystack hosts, event staff, authorised contractors and, where necessary, venue staff may receive or consult operational lists, including full names where needed for check-in, identification, guest management, safety, troubleshooting or other event logistics. We aim to limit information to what is reasonably needed for the relevant role and purpose. Sensitive matching answers, sexual orientation and private contact details are not intended to be included in publicly displayed event materials merely because they were used to arrange groups.

Printed and digital operational materials are handled as personal information. We aim to avoid unnecessary public access, disclosure or retention and apply our relevant retention and security arrangements.

11. Missed Connections

We offer an optional “Missed Connections” feature for guests who met someone at an event but did not exchange contact details. A guest may submit a message describing the encounter using our linked online form or another published channel. We may review, edit, decline or remove submissions before or after publication, including to protect privacy, safety or the dignity of other guests.

With the submitter's knowledge, a selected message may appear on our public Missed Connections page, potentially including the event, date, a first name or nickname and details of the interaction. These details may identify the submitter or the person described, even without a surname. Please do not include phone numbers, email addresses, social handles, sensitive personal details, allegations, intimate information or anything you would not want published. We may remove or shorten identifying details or decline publication.

If you believe a post refers to you and you would like an introduction, you may contact Haystack voluntarily. We may take reasonable steps to establish which entry you mean and whether an introduction is appropriate. We do not provide someone's private contact details merely because another person requests them. Any introduction or sharing of contact information is subject to the relevant individual's choice and applicable data-protection rules. We will not use booking records to pursue a person who has not responded on another guest's behalf. No response is a response, and no introduction is guaranteed.

We use submissions, correspondence and limited relevant event details to administer this optional service, moderate posts, manage introductions and address safety or complaints. The lawful basis for each activity depends on its purpose and circumstances, including consent where required and legitimate interests where appropriate. A submission about someone else is not their consent to public identification or contact. Submissions may be processed by our form provider, website provider and communications services; their handling is covered by the relevant parts of this notice.

Our published Missed Connections page currently states that public entries are removed after around one month. Copies of submissions and related correspondence may follow different retention periods where reasonably necessary for administration, complaints, safeguarding or legal obligations. You can contact privacy@haystack-dating.com with privacy concerns or requests about a post. See our Missed Connections page for how the feature works.

12. Trips and holidays

Haystack organises overnight trips and holidays, including ski and surf trips. For a particular trip we may collect your name, email, telephone number, age, gender, accommodation choice, booking and deposit or balance-payment details, room-sharing requests, travel or transfer arrangements, and other information required to organise the trip. Depending on the booking form, we may also request passport number and expiry date, dietary requirements or allergies, medical conditions or injuries, ski or snowboard ability, preferred morning and evening routines, alcohol preferences, birthday information, an icebreaker fact and playlist suggestions. We may receive a friend's name where a guest requests to share a room with them.

We use relevant information to manage reservations, payments and essential communications; coordinate accommodation and shared rooms; organise ability-based activities and social arrangements; respond to practical needs; and support safety and emergencies. Room and activity allocations may use software, manual assessment or both. They are not necessarily romantic matching. For trips where accommodation providers require guest passport details for check-in or local registration, we collect them for that purpose and share them with the relevant provider only as needed. We do not treat this as a reason to keep passport details indefinitely.

Medical conditions, injuries, health-related allergies and some dietary or accessibility information may constitute special-category health or other sensitive data. Such information requires an appropriate Article 6 lawful basis and Article 9 condition. Access to health-related trip information is limited to Haystack personnel who need it and, where strictly necessary for a relevant purpose, appropriate ski or surf instructors, accommodation partners, medical professionals or emergency services. We do not routinely provide full medical responses to every trip partner. Where we rely on explicit consent for optional health information, we request a separate, specific, affirmative choice in the relevant trip form and explain how consent may be withdrawn. Other processing, including handling an emergency, may require a different lawful basis or Article 9 condition depending on the circumstances. We do not treat a general acknowledgement of trip terms as explicit health-data consent.

We may share necessary booking or operational details with accommodation providers, transport operators, activity providers, instructors, payment services and other trip partners. Some are independent controllers with their own privacy notices. Trips abroad may require sharing information with providers outside the UK, subject to applicable transfer rules. Trip booking, financial, operational, medical, passport and incident records are subject to purpose-specific retention assessments; the ordinary 90-day event-questionnaire standard should not automatically be assumed to cover all trip records. We aim to avoid retaining sensitive identity or health information longer than necessary.

For our January and March 2027 ski trips, we use Jotform to collect booking forms, Stripe to process payments, and Google Workspace for email and operational booking records. These services handle relevant information as described in this notice and their applicable privacy terms. A payment made through a separate payment link may need to be matched to a booking by our team.

The January and March 2027 ski booking forms ask for a separate Yes or No choice before showing optional health and sensitive dietary questions. Choosing No does not prevent you booking the trip, and choosing Yes does not make it compulsory to provide health or dietary details. If you choose to share information, please provide only what is relevant to your trip needs. You can withdraw consent or discuss practical support by emailing privacy@haystack-dating.com. Withdrawal does not affect processing that was lawful before withdrawal. Please do not provide another person’s health information without their authority.

13. International transfers

Some service providers may store or access information outside the UK. Where UK data protection rules require safeguards, we seek to use appropriate mechanisms, such as UK adequacy arrangements or approved contractual protections.

14. How long we keep it

Our standard is to review event-specific working copies promptly after an event and retain identifiable matching questionnaires and event-form information ordinarily for no longer than 90 days after the relevant event, unless a shorter period applies or we have a justified reason to keep information longer, such as a legal obligation, safeguarding matter, complaint, dispute or a separately agreed use. Historical records and copies across systems are subject to ongoing retention review; this is not a claim that all past copies have already been deleted. Booking, accounting, consent and customer-service records may need different retention periods. Information that has been effectively anonymised may be retained separately.

15. Keeping information safe

We use appropriate organisational and technical safeguards and limit access according to role and need. No online service is completely risk-free. We assess and respond to suspected data breaches in line with applicable law.

16. Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have rights to access, correct, erase, restrict or transfer your information; object to certain uses; withdraw consent; and exercise rights relating to qualifying automated decisions. You have an absolute right to object to processing for direct marketing. Email privacy@haystack-dating.com and we will respond in accordance with applicable law.

17. Marketing, age and complaints

We may send information about upcoming events to existing customers where the UK electronic-marketing rules permit this, including where a valid existing-customer soft opt-in applies, and to other recipients where we have the necessary consent or other lawful permission. We honour marketing opt-outs and provide a way to unsubscribe. Not opting out alone does not automatically establish that marketing is lawful. Unsubscribing from marketing does not stop essential messages about an event you booked. Haystack dating events are for adults aged 18 or over.

Contact us first if you have concerns, or complain directly to the UK Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk. You do not have to contact us before approaching the ICO.

18. Cookies and website technology

Our website and ticketing platforms may use cookies or similar technologies. Where Haystack controls non-essential cookies, we must provide the notices and choices required by law. Third-party ticketing services may provide their own cookie information.

19. Updates

We review this notice as our events, technology and legal obligations change. We will update the date above and bring material changes to your attention where required.

Guest code of conduct

Haystack is here for relaxed, real-life introductions. We want our events, trips, activities and associated communications to feel welcoming, respectful and enjoyable for guests, hosts, venue staff and partners. By attending, guests agree to these ground rules.

1. Consent and personal boundaries

Respect verbal and non-verbal boundaries at all times. Consent must be freely given and can be withdrawn. Never pressure anyone for physical or sexual contact, a phone number, social-media details, another date, alcohol or continued interaction. If someone declines, disengages, leaves a conversation or asks for space, respect that immediately. Attending a dating event, sharing a group, flirting, accepting a drink or previously showing interest does not imply consent to physical or sexual contact.

2. Treat people with respect

Harassment, intimidation, bullying, threats, stalking, aggressive conduct, unwanted sexual behaviour, deliberate humiliation and discriminatory abuse are not acceptable. Do not target or demean anyone because of a protected or personal characteristic.

3. Alcohol and substances

Drink responsibly and remain able to behave appropriately. Intoxication does not excuse misconduct. Haystack, venue staff or security may refuse service or entry or ask a guest to leave where behaviour, intoxication or safety concerns justify it. Illegal drugs and unlawful conduct are prohibited.

4. Safety and event arrangements

Follow reasonable safety and event-management instructions from Haystack hosts, venue staff and security. We may change groups, seating, activities or participation arrangements where reasonably necessary for safety, welfare, matching or event operations.

5. Respect privacy and photography preferences

Do not photograph, film or record another guest where they have objected or doing so would unreasonably intrude on their privacy. Do not publish or share another guest's sensitive personal information, private messages or confidential disclosures without appropriate permission or other lawful justification. Do not use information obtained through an event to harass, stalk, impersonate or repeatedly contact someone who has asked you to stop.

Haystack may take event photographs and videos for organic social media, paid advertising and other promotion as explained in our privacy notice. If you prefer to stay off camera, please tell our event team so we can make a conscious effort to avoid including you.

6. Matching is not a safety guarantee

Matching and group placement facilitate introductions; they are not background checks, endorsements or guarantees of another person's identity, conduct, compatibility or safety. Use your own judgement when deciding whether to continue contact after an event.

7. Reporting concerns

If you feel unsafe or seriously uncomfortable at an event, tell a Haystack representative, venue staff member or security team as soon as reasonably possible. You can also report concerns afterwards using Haystack's published contact channels. In an emergency, contact emergency services. We aim to handle reports sensitively; information may need to be shared where appropriate for safety, investigation or legal reasons.

8. Responses to misconduct

Acting reasonably and proportionately, and subject to applicable law and booking rights, Haystack may change a guest's group, refuse entry, end participation, require someone to leave or restrict future attendance in response to serious or repeated misconduct or safety concerns. We may involve the venue, security or relevant authorities where appropriate.

9. Missed Connections and respectful follow-up

Missed Connections is an optional opportunity for someone to come forward, not a way to obtain another guest's details or bypass their boundaries. Do not submit identifying or sensitive details about another guest that could put them at risk, and do not use the feature for harassment, repeated unwanted contact, impersonation, allegations or public pressure. Haystack may edit, refuse or remove submissions and decline introductions where appropriate. If someone does not respond, respect that choice.

10. Trips and activities

On trips, respect roommates and shared spaces, follow reasonable instructions from Haystack hosts, accommodation providers and qualified activity instructors, and observe relevant safety guidance and local rules. Do not pressure others to take part in activities or social situations they do not want to join.

11. Be genuine

Provide materially accurate booking and matching information, comply with event eligibility and age rules, and do not deliberately misrepresent your identity or preferences in a way that undermines other guests' experience.

Questions? We're here.

For privacy requests, matching-consent withdrawals or questions about how we handle information, email privacy@haystack-dating.com.

For general event enquiries or to report an event concern, use Haystack's normal customer-service channels on our website.

This page contains guest-facing policies. Haystack's internal risk assessments, incident procedures and supplier records are maintained separately.