Privacy Policy

1. Who we are and how to contact us

Gates Garden Centre and Gates Farm Shop are trading names of F.A. Gates & Son Limited (Company number 03691840). Our registered office address is Westwood House, 78 Loughborough Road, Quorn, Loughborough, Leicestershire, England, LE12 8DX.

In this Privacy Policy, we refer to F.A. Gates & Son Limited as Gates which includes both Gates Garden Centre and Gates Farm Shop located at Somerby Road, Cold Overton, Oakham, Leicestershire, LE15 7QB. There are two Gates websites: www.gatesgardencentre.co.uk and www.gatesfarmshop.co.uk The contact email for Gates is: info@gatesgardencentre.co.uk and the contact telephone number is 01664 454309.

2. Introduction to Gates Privacy Policy

Our Privacy Policy explains the types of personal data we may collect when you interact with us. It also explains why we collect such data and how we’ll store, process and keep it safe. If you have any questions about this, please get in touch with us using the above contact details for Gates.

We may need to update this Privacy Policy from time to time and where possible we’ll notify you of any significant changes via email or you can check this Privacy Policy on our websites when you need to.

3. Our legal responsibilities

Data protection law provides reasons for why we may collect and process your personal data, including:

Consent: In specific situations, we can collect and process your data with your consent. For example, when you tick a box to receive email newsletters. When collecting your personal data, we aim to make it clear to you which data is necessary for a particular service.
Contractual obligations: In certain circumstances, we require your personal data to comply with our contractual obligations. For example, if you order an item from us for home delivery, we’ll collect your address and contact details to deliver your purchase and pass them to our courier.
Legitimate interest: Some circumstances may require us to access your data to pursue our legitimate interests in a way which might reasonably be expected as part of running our business, and which does not materially impact your rights, freedom, or interests. For example, to check your purchase history to send you or make available personalised offers. We will also use your address details to send you direct marketing information by post, telling you about products and services that we think might interest you or we may contact you regarding market research. With your consent, (opted in) we will use your personal data, preferences, and details of your transactions to keep you informed by email, web and social media about relevant products and services including tailored special offers, discounts, promotions, events, competitions and so on.
We currently collect and process the following information: Personal identifiers, contacts, and characteristics (for example, name and contact details).

4. How we collect your personal information and data

We access details of your interactions with us in-store, online or through the use of Gates apps or other sources, such as a third-party partner (where applicable). Personal information we process is provided to us by you through the following methods:

Visits to the Gates Garden Centre and Gates Farm Shop websites.
When you create an account with Gates and when you use an account with Gates to buy or redeem vouchers for products and services.
We collect transaction-based data only when purchasing and checking out online as a guest.
We capture information through cookies and similar methods.
Any engagement with us on social media and when you comment on or review our products and services.
When you join the Gates Loyalty Club App or use the Gates restaurant app.
If you contact us by any means with queries, complaints etc.
When you ask a member of our team to email you information about a product or service.
When you enter prize draws or competitions.
When you book to attend a Gates event. For example, an in-store book launch or a Weber Cookery School booking.
When you choose to complete any surveys we send you.
When you fill in any Gates forms. For example, if an accident happens in-store, we may collect your personal data.
When you’ve given a third-party permission to share with us the information they hold about you. For example, third party partner Voucher Express on behalf of HTA for National Garden eVouchers.
Our car park and shops have both number plate recognition and CCTV systems in operation for both the security of Gates customers and staff.

5. What sort of personal data do we collect and why?

Here is a list of the sort of personal data we collect and why:

If you have an account with us, Gates will store your name, billing and delivery address, orders and receipts, email and telephone numbers. For your security, we’ll also keep an encrypted record of your login password.
At Gates we collect notes from conversations with you, details of any complaints or comments you make, details of purchases you made, items viewed or added to your basket, items you may have added to your Gates Wish List, voucher redemptions, brands you show interest in, web pages you visit and how and when you contact us.
We access copies of documents you provide to prove your age, identity or address where the law requires this. This will include details of your full name, address, date of birth and facial image. If you provide a passport, the data will include your place of birth, gender and nationality and a driving licence includes name, gender, place and date of birth. This information will only be used to prove your identity.
We track visits to our websites or apps and which site you came from to ours.
We gather information collected by the use of cookies in your web browser. Learn more about how we use cookies and similar methods.
Open rates and click-through rates on email marketing campaigns.
Personal details which help us to recommend items of interest. For example, you might tell us you are keen on barbequing and so, we could invite you to relevant BBQ events, such as a Weber demonstration. We’ll only ask for and use your personal data collected for recommending items of interest and to tailor your shopping experience with us. Of course, it’s always your choice whether you share such details with us.
Your choice of payment online method (Paypal, Credit/Debit Card, Amazon Pay). For telephone or in-store orders, you may be required to confirm your payment card details to pay for a good or service.
Your comments and product reviews, where applicable.
Your image may be recorded on CCTV when you visit Gates and your vehicle number plate may be recorded in our car parks to manage security through ANPR.
To deliver the best possible web experience, we collect technical information about your internet connection and browser.
We can see your social media username, if you interact with us through those channels, this helps us respond to your comments, questions, or feedback.

6. Why do we use your personal data?

For the best possible customer experience, we want to understand who you are and what interests you by combining the data we have about you.

We use this information to offer you promotions, products and services that we believe are most likely to interest you. In the case of loyalty scheme members, we’ll also offer you relevant rewards.

The data privacy law allows this as part of our legitimate interest in understanding our customers and providing the highest levels of service.

If you choose not to share your personal data with us, or refuse certain contact permissions, we might not be able to provide some services you’ve asked for.

7. How we use your personal data

This is how we use your personal data:

We use your personal data to process orders that you make by using our websites, apps or in-store.
If we don’t collect your personal data during checkout, we won’t be able to process your order and comply with our legal obligations. For example, your details may need to be passed to a third party to complete delivery of the product that you ordered. We may keep your details for a reasonable period afterwards to fulfil any contractual obligations such as refunds or guarantees.
To respond to your queries, refund requests and complaints. We may also keep a record of these to inform any future communication with us and to demonstrate how we communicated with you throughout. We do this based on our contractual obligations to you and our legitimate interests in providing you with the best service.
Occasionally we may send you email notifications when you place a product in your basket, and you abandon your browsing. We do this based on our legitimate interest.
We may provide you with tracking information so that you can follow your order. We do this under legitimate interest to enhance your customer experience and give you more information about your delivery.
To protect our business and your account from fraud and other illegal activities. For example, by checking your password when you log in and using automated monitoring of IP addresses to identify fraudulent logins from unexpected locations.
To protect our customers, premises, assets and staff from crime, we operate CCTV systems in our stores and car parks which may record images and vehicles for security. We operate these systems based on our legitimate business interests.
If we discover any criminal activity or alleged criminal activity through our use of CCTV, fraud monitoring and suspicious transaction monitoring, we will process this data for the purposes of preventing or detecting unlawful acts.
With your consent, we will use your personal data, preferences and details of your transactions to keep you informed by email, web, text, and telephone, about relevant products and services including tailored special offers, promotions, events and competitions.
We will send you relevant, personalised communications by post in relation to updates, offers, services and products. We’ll do this based on our legitimate business interest.
We send you communications required by law, or which are necessary to inform you about our changes to the services we provide you. For example, updates to this Privacy Policy, product recall notices, and legally required information relating to your orders.
To display relevant content to you on our websites or apps, we’ll use data we hold about your favourite products and so on. We do so based on your consent to receive app notifications and/or for our website to place cookies or similar technology on your device. If not using cookies or similar technology, then based on our legitimate interest. For example, we might display a list of items you’ve recently looked at or offer you recommendations based on your purchase history.
To administer any of our prize draws or competitions which you enter, based on your consent given at the time of entering. To send you survey requests to help improve our services We have a legitimate interest to do so as this helps make our products or services more relevant to you. For Gates Loyalty Club members, to decide which information to show you, with the help of computer algorithms. We do so based on your consent when you become a Gates Loyalty Club member. For example, if you consent through an App, we may use your shopping preferences to offer you tailored rewards.
You are free to opt out of hearing from us by any of these channels at any time. Please contact us if you are unsure how to do this.

We sometimes share your personal data with trusted third parties for marketing purposes.

When you purchase from us an item or items that are delivered by a supplier or an external courier. We will pass on your contact details so that they can fulfil your order. The same regarding warranties provided by a supplier of the product. For example, we may need to pass your details to the manufacturer for delivery of goods and to fulfil any guarantees.

If you decide to purchase National Garden e-Vouchers on our website, you will be transferred to Voucher Express (a trusted third party).

9. Your data may be used for personalised direct marketing

With your consent, we want to provide you with offers and promotions that are most relevant to your interests. So, to help us form a better understanding of you as a customer, we combine your personal data gathered across the Gates businesses. For example, your app and shopping history online and in-store at both Gates Garden Centre and Gates Farm Shop.

10. How we protect your personal data

Personal data security is important to us and we treat your data with the utmost care, taking appropriate steps to protect it. We secure access to all transactional areas of our websites and apps using ‘https’ technology.

Access to your personal data is password-protected, and sensitive data (such as payment card information) is secured and encrypted to ensure it is protected.

We monitor our systems for possible vulnerabilities and attacks.

11. How long will we keep your personal data?

Whenever we collect or process your personal data, we’ll only keep it for as long as is necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.

At the end of that retention period, your data will either be deleted completely, shredded or anonymised for statistical analysis and business planning.

Some examples of customer data retention periods:

When you place an order, we’ll keep the personal data you give us for five years so we can comply with our legal and contractual obligations.
If your order included a warranty, the associated personal data will be kept until the end of the warranty period

12. What are your data protection rights?

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

You have the right to ask Gates for copies of your personal information.
You have the right to ask Gates to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask Gates to complete information you think is incomplete.
You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.
You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.

Should you wish to make a request, please contact us via email at info@gatesgardencentre.co.uk, call 01664 454309, or post your request to Gates Garden Centre or Gates Farm Shop, Somerby Road, Cold Overton, Oakham, Leicestershire, LE15 7QB.

Whenever you have given us your consent to use your personal data, you also have the right to change your mind at any time and withdraw that consent on any of the following occasions:

Where we process your personal data based on our legitimate interest, you can ask us to stop. We must then do so unless we believe we have a legitimate overriding reason to continue processing your personal data, such as the administration of an extended warranty.
You have the right to stop the use of your personal data for direct marketing activity through all channels, or selected channels. We must always comply with your request.
To protect the confidentiality of your information, we will ask you to verify your identity before proceeding with any request you make under this Privacy Policy.
If you have authorised a third party to submit a request on your behalf, we will ask them to prove they have your permission to act.

14. How to stop your personal data being used for direct marketing

When you purchase a product, we might receive a copy of the information you supplied. If you agree to receive marketing communications from us, we will use your data to personalise what we send you. You are free to opt out of receiving marketing communications from us at any time.

There are several ways you can stop direct marketing communications from Gates:

Click the ‘unsubscribe’ link in any email communication that we send you. We will then stop any further emails.
If you have an account, log in and visit ‘My Account’ (top right of the website homepage) and change your preferences.
In our apps, you can manage your preferences and opt-out from one or all of the different push notifications by selecting or deselecting the relevant options in the ‘Settings’ section.
Write to Privacy Policy – Data Rights Team at Gates Garden Centre, Somerby Road, Cold Overton, Oakham, LE15 7QB.

Please note that you may continue to receive communications for a short period after changing your preferences while our systems are fully updated.

15. How to complain

If you have any concerns about the use of your personal data, you can make a complaint to Gates via email at info@gatesgardencentre.co.uk, call telephone number 01664 454309, or post your complaint to Gates Garden Centre or Gates Farm Shop, Somerby Road, Cold Overton, Oakham, Leicestershire, LE15 7QB.

If you are unhappy with how we have used your data, you have the right to complain to the regulator: Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. For more information, please visit the ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk

16. Summary

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing this information are:

Your consent: You can remove your consent at any time and you can do this by contacting Gates here.
We have a contractual obligation.
We have a legal obligation.
We have a vital interest.
We need it to perform a public task.
We have a legitimate interest.

This Gates Privacy Policy is intended to set out the way we handle your personal data and your rights to control it. If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us via:

Address: Gates Garden Centre or Gates Farm Shop, Somerby Road, Cold Overton, Oakham, Leicestershire, LE15 7QB.
Telephone number: 01664 454309
Email: info@gatesgardencentre.co.uk

This Privacy Policy was last updated on 24.7.23.