Privacy & Cookie Policy
How we look after your personal information. Last updated 19 October 2026.
Who we are
Northern Kites is the trading name of Northern Kites Kitesurfing Ltd. We run kitesurf, wingfoil and pumpfoil lessons at Wallasey Beach and West Kirby Marine Lake on the Wirral. We are the data controller for the personal information described in this policy.
Contact us about anything in this policy at info@northernkites.co.uk, on 0151 662 0318, or by post at Wallasey Beach Club, Coastal Drive, Wallasey CH45 3PZ.
What we collect and why
- Bookings and gift vouchers. When you book a lesson or buy a voucher we collect your name, email, phone number, the lesson you have booked and payment details. We need this to take your booking, contact you about it and reschedule around the weather. Lawful basis: performing our contract with you.
- Health and safety information. When you book, our booking system (Viking Bookings) asks you to complete a health and safety form and waiver. It asks for details such as your age, weight, swimming ability, experience and any medical conditions that could affect your safety on the water, plus an emergency contact. We use this only to keep you safe and choose the right equipment. Health details are special category data, and we collect them with your explicit consent and to protect your vital interests.
- Enquiries. If you use our contact form, email, phone or WhatsApp, we keep what you send us so we can reply. Lawful basis: our legitimate interest in answering enquiries, or taking steps towards a booking you have asked about.
- WhatsApp lesson group. If you join our WhatsApp group, other members can see your name and phone number. Joining is optional, and you can leave at any time.
- Progress records. We may record your lesson progress and certification (for example BKSA or RYA) so we can carry on where you left off and issue certificates. Lawful basis: performing our contract with you.
- Photos and video. We sometimes take photos or video during lessons. The waiver you complete when booking asks whether you agree to us using them on our website and social media. We only use identifiable images of you if you have agreed, and you can withdraw that at any time by emailing us. We will then stop using them and remove any we have posted.
- Marketing. We only send marketing emails if you have opted in, and every email has an unsubscribe link.
- Website use. With your consent, we use cookies to understand how people use this website and to measure our advertising. See Cookies below.
Who we share it with
We never sell your data. We share it only with the services we use to run the business, who process it on our behalf:
- Viking Bookings: our online booking, voucher and waiver system, which stores your booking details, health and safety form and waiver.
- Payment providers used by our booking system, which handle card payments. We never see or store your full card number.
- Netlify: hosts this website and receives contact-form messages.
- Google: Google Analytics and Google Ads (only if you accept cookies), and the maps on our contact page.
- WhatsApp (Meta): if you message us or join our lesson group.
- Our email provider and accountants, and our instructors, who see the details they need to run your lesson.
We may also share information with our insurers, governing bodies (BKSA and RYA) for certification, emergency services if you are hurt, or where the law requires it.
Some of these providers store data outside the UK, for example in the USA. Where they do, it is protected by UK-approved safeguards, such as the UK–US data bridge or standard contractual clauses.
How long we keep it
- Booking, payment and voucher records: 6 years, for accounting and tax.
- Safety, waiver and incident records: up to 3 years after your last lesson, or longer for under-18s or if an incident needs to be kept for insurance purposes.
- Enquiries that don't lead to a booking: up to 12 months.
- Analytics data: 14 months.
Your rights
Under UK data protection law you can ask to see the personal data we hold about you, correct it, delete it, restrict or object to how we use it, or receive a copy to take elsewhere. Where we rely on your consent, you can withdraw it at any time. Email info@northernkites.co.uk and we will reply within one month.
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, please tell us first. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.
Cookies
Cookies are small files stored on your device. When you first visit, we ask whether you accept cookies. Analytics and advertising cookies are only set if you click Accept. You can change your choice at any time using Cookie settings, which is also in the footer of every page.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| nk_consent (local storage) | Northern Kites | Remembers your cookie choice. Strictly necessary. | Until you clear it |
| _ga, _ga_* | Google Analytics | Counts visits and shows which pages are used. Only set if you accept. | Up to 2 years |
| _gcl_au, _gcl_aw | Google Ads | Measures whether our ads lead to bookings. Only set if you accept. | Up to 90 days |
| Booking pop-up cookies | Viking Bookings | Make the booking and voucher forms work. Strictly necessary for booking. | Session to 1 year |
| Map cookies | Google Maps | Set by the maps on our contact page when they load. | Varies |
If you reject cookies, Google may still receive basic, cookie-free signals, for example that a page was viewed or a booking was made. These contain no identifiers and are used only to produce anonymous totals.
You can also block or delete cookies in your browser settings. If you block the booking system's cookies, online booking may not work, but you can always book by phone or WhatsApp.
Children
We teach under-18s with the consent of a parent or guardian, who provides their details and agrees to the booking terms on their behalf.
Changes to this policy
We will update this page if anything changes. The date at the top shows when it was last revised.