Privacy policy

Catch a coffee! (catchacoffee.co.uk) helps people find London cafés and things to do nearby. This policy explains what personal data we collect, why, and what you can do about it. We are the controller of your data under UK GDPR. Questions or requests: hello@catchacoffee.co.uk.

What we collect

• Your account: email address, and if you sign in with Google, your name and profile photo from Google. Anything you add to your profile, like a username or photo.
• What you add: ratings, reviews, photos, saved cafés and plans, lists, edit suggestions, café submissions and café ownership claims.
• Check-ins: the café, the time, and anything you choose to add (why you're there, an age range, how busy it is). A check-in shows as "here now" for two hours. We keep a private history so your coffee passport works.
• Open to chat: waves, messages, blocks and reports between members at the same café. If you report someone, we see the recent messages between you.
• Focus sessions: sessions you host or join.
• Location: if you tap "Near me", your browser shares your precise location to sort cafés by distance. It is used on the spot and not stored. We may also use your rough, city-level location from your network to suggest a café near you; that isn't stored either.
• Day plans: what you type into Plan a Catch, to build the plan. Typed plans may be processed by an AI model to write the plan.
• Technical data: standard server logs (like IP address and browser) kept briefly for security and to fix problems.

Why we use it (and our lawful basis)

• To run your account and the features you use (contract).
• To keep members safe: blocking, reports, removing people who break our rules (legitimate interests).
• To improve the site and keep it secure (legitimate interests).
• Optional details you add to a check-in, like an age range, are only used because you chose to share them (consent). You can leave them out.

We don't sell your data and we don't show third-party ads.

Who can see what

• Visitors who aren't signed in only see how many people are checked in at a café and why — never names or photos. With three or more people they may see a general age mix.
• Signed-in members can see the first name, photo and reason of who's checked in.
• Reviews, ratings and photos you post are public.
• Your coffee passport is private unless you choose to share it.

Who we share it with

Only the services that run the site for us, under contract:

• Supabase — database, sign-in and file storage.
• Cloudflare and Lovable — hosting and delivering the site.
• Google — sign-in with Google, and maps and café details.
• AI providers via Lovable — only the text of a day plan request, when AI is used.

Some of these may process data outside the UK. Where they do, they're covered by UK adequacy regulations or standard contractual safeguards. We may share information with the police or authorities if the law requires it or someone is at risk.

How long we keep it

• Account data: until you delete your account.
• Live check-ins: removed after two hours. Check-in history: until you delete your account or ask us to remove it.
• Chat messages: chats close when either of you checks out. We keep the messages so we can act on reports, until you delete your account or ask us to remove them.
• Server logs: a short period for security.

Cookies and storage

We use your browser's storage to keep you signed in and to remember small preferences (like your last plan). These are essential for the site to work. We don't use advertising cookies.

Your rights

You can ask to see, correct, download or delete your data, object to how we use it, or withdraw consent at any time. Email hello@catchacoffee.co.uk and we'll reply within a month. If you're unhappy with how we've handled your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.

Age

You need to be 16 or over to create an account, and 18 or over to use Open to chat.

Changes

If we change this policy in a way that matters, we'll update the date above and tell members on the site.