How we handle your information

1. Who we are

This website is operated for The Slow Burn. For the purpose of this Privacy Policy, “The Slow Burn”, “we”, “us”, and “our” refer to the business responsible for this website and the handling of personal information collected through it.

This Privacy Policy applies to the website located at theslowburn.co.za, including the Home, About Us, Contact Us, The Craft Shelf, Privacy Policy, and Terms & Conditions pages.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your personal information is handled, you can contact us at info@theslowburn.co.za.

2. Personal information we may collect

We may collect personal information when you visit the website, contact us, submit an enquiry, interact with The Craft Shelf, engage with us on social media, or communicate with us directly.

Information you choose to give us may include:

• your name and surname;
• your email address;
• your phone number;
• your enquiry details or message;
• information about a Craft Shelf request, maker enquiry, collaboration, or supplier-related message;
• any other information you voluntarily provide when contacting us.

Information collected automatically may include:

• your IP address;
• browser type and device information;
• pages visited and general website usage behaviour;
• referring website or traffic source;
• approximate location information based on technical data;
• cookie and analytics data, where applicable.

3. How we collect personal information

We may collect personal information directly from you, automatically through the website, or through third-party services used to operate the website.

This may happen when you:

• complete a contact form;
• send us an email;
• call or message the business;
• submit a Craft Shelf-related enquiry;
• interact with our social media pages;
• visit the website and accept or interact with cookies;
• use embedded maps, forms, links, or website features.

4. Why we use personal information

We use personal information for legitimate business, website, communication, safety, and operational purposes.

We may use your information to:

• respond to enquiries and messages;
• provide information about The Slow Burn, the lounge, operating details, and visitor-related questions;
• respond to Craft Shelf enquiries, maker requests, collaboration enquiries, or supplier-related communication;
• manage website functionality, security, forms, and technical performance;
• understand how visitors use the website so we can improve it;
• send relevant communication where you have requested it or where legally permitted;
• keep basic records of enquiries and communication;
• protect the rights, safety, property, and lawful interests of The Slow Burn, its visitors, staff, and service providers;
• comply with legal, regulatory, accounting, security, or operational requirements.

5. Age-restricted environment

The Slow Burn is intended for adults only. Certain areas, activities, displays, products, communications, or services may be age-restricted.

Where necessary, The Slow Burn may request proof of age or identity before allowing access to certain areas, activities, products, or services. We do not use this information for unrelated marketing purposes.

This website is not intended to collect personal information from minors. If we become aware that a minor has submitted personal information through the website, we may delete the information unless we are legally required to keep it.

6. When we may share personal information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share personal information only where reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.

We may share information with:

• website hosting providers and technical service providers;
• email, form, security, analytics, and website management tools;
• professional advisers, such as legal, accounting, or compliance advisers, where necessary;
• law enforcement, regulators, or public authorities where required by law;
• third parties involved in responding to your request, but only where relevant and appropriate.

Any third-party service provider that processes personal information on our behalf is expected to handle that information securely and only for the purpose for which it was provided.

7. Cookies, analytics, and website tracking

This website may use cookies and similar technologies to make the website work properly, improve performance, understand visitor behaviour, improve security, and support basic marketing or analytics functions.

Cookies may be used for:

• essential website functionality;
• remembering basic preferences;
• measuring website traffic and page performance;
• understanding how visitors find and use the website;
• protecting forms, login areas, and website security;
• supporting embedded tools such as maps, videos, social media links, or analytics platforms.

You can usually control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Some parts of the website may not work properly if essential cookies are disabled.

8. The Craft Shelf enquiries

If you contact us about The Craft Shelf, we may collect information needed to understand and respond to your enquiry. This may include your name, contact details, type of item or craft, business or maker details, social media links, photos, product information, pricing discussions, or other information you choose to provide.

We use this information to assess the enquiry, communicate with you, keep basic records, and decide whether the item, maker, supplier, or collaboration is suitable for The Slow Burn.

Submitting a Craft Shelf enquiry does not guarantee approval, placement, promotion, purchase, trade, or any formal arrangement.

9. Future online sales or bookings

This website is not currently an eCommerce website. If online sales, bookings, vouchers, payments, delivery, collection, memberships, or product reservations are introduced in future, we may collect additional personal information needed to complete those transactions.

This may include:

• billing and payment-related information;
• delivery or collection details;
• order history;
• age verification details where legally required;
• refund, return, cancellation, or support information;
• communication related to your order or booking.

Payment information may be processed by third-party payment providers. The Slow Burn does not intend to store full card details directly on this website.

10. How long we keep personal information

We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Retention periods may depend on:

• the type of enquiry or communication;
• whether we need the information to respond to you;
• legal, accounting, tax, safety, or operational requirements;
• whether there is an ongoing relationship, dispute, complaint, or record-keeping need;
• whether the information is needed for website security or fraud prevention.

When personal information is no longer needed, we will take reasonable steps to delete it, de-identify it, or securely archive it where appropriate.

11. Security of personal information

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

Security measures may include:

• secure website hosting and technical safeguards;
• restricted access to website enquiries and business communication;
• password-protected systems where applicable;
• website security tools and spam protection;
• regular website maintenance and updates where practical;
• reasonable care when working with third-party service providers.

No website, email system, hosting environment, or online service can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You should avoid sending unnecessary sensitive information through general website forms or unsecured communication channels.

12. International services and data transfers

Some third-party services used by this website may store or process information outside South Africa. This may include hosting, analytics, email, security, social media, map, or website performance tools.

Where this happens, we aim to use reputable providers and take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information is handled securely and in line with applicable privacy requirements.

13. Marketing communication

We may send marketing or promotional communication only where you have requested it, consented to it, or where we are otherwise legally permitted to do so.

You may ask us to stop sending marketing communication at any time by contacting info@theslowburn.co.za or by using any unsubscribe option provided in the communication.

We will still be allowed to send necessary administrative or transactional communication where relevant, such as responses to enquiries, operational notices, or legally required information.

14. Your privacy rights

Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to request access to your personal information, ask for correction of inaccurate information, object to certain processing, request deletion where appropriate, or ask questions about how your information is used.

You may contact us to:

• ask what personal information we hold about you;
• request that incorrect information be corrected;
• request deletion of information where legally appropriate;
• object to certain uses of your information;
• withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
• ask how your information has been collected, used, shared, or stored.

We may need to verify your identity before responding to certain requests. We may also refuse or limit a request where the law allows or requires us to do so.

15. Complaints

If you are concerned about how your personal information has been handled, please contact us first at info@theslowburn.co.za so we can try to resolve the matter.

You may also have the right to complain to the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your personal information has been processed unlawfully.

16. Third-party websites and platforms

This website may include links to third-party websites, social media pages, map services, embedded content, payment providers, booking tools, or other external platforms.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security, content, or policies of third-party websites or platforms. When you use those services, their own privacy policies and terms may apply.

17. Updates to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the website, business operations, legal requirements, services, cookies, third-party tools, or future eCommerce functionality.

The latest version will be published on this page with the updated date shown at the top.