Privacy policy
Last updated: 12 July 2026 · Version 1.0
This policy explains how Meridian 58 ("we", "us") collects and uses personal data when you visit this website, subscribe to The Meridian Brief, make an enquiry, book a call or purchase a subscription. We are the data controller for the purposes of UK data protection law (UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018).
1. What we collect, and why
| When you… | We collect | Lawful basis |
|---|---|---|
| Subscribe to The Meridian Brief | Email address; subscription date; whether emails are opened (standard newsletter analytics) | Consent — you can withdraw at any time via the unsubscribe link in every email |
| Send an enquiry via the contact form | Name, company, email address and the contents of your message | Legitimate interests — responding to your enquiry |
| Book a call | Name, email and any details you provide when scheduling | Legitimate interests / steps prior to a contract |
| Purchase a paid subscription | Name, email, billing details. Card details are processed by Stripe and never touch our systems | Contract — providing the service you purchased. Billing records are retained as required by UK tax law |
| Visit the site | Anonymous, aggregated usage statistics (pages viewed, referrer, country). No cookies are set for analytics and no individual visitor is identified | Legitimate interests — understanding how the site is used |
2. Who processes data on our behalf
We use a small number of established service providers. Each acts as a processor under contract and several are based in the United States; where data leaves the UK, transfers are protected by the UK International Data Transfer Agreement/Addendum or an adequacy decision.
- Beehiiv (US) — newsletter subscriptions and delivery
- Formspree (US) — contact form handling
- Stripe (US/IE) — payment processing; Stripe is an independent controller for fraud and regulatory purposes
- Calendly (US) — call scheduling
- Cloudflare (US, with UK/EU infrastructure) — website hosting and security
- Google Workspace (US, UK data-region options) — business email
We do not sell personal data, share it with advertisers, or use it for automated decision-making.
3. How long we keep it
- Newsletter data: until you unsubscribe, after which it is removed from the active list (suppression records are kept so we don't email you again).
- Enquiries: up to 24 months after our last exchange, unless the enquiry becomes a client relationship.
- Billing and transaction records: 6 years, as required by HMRC.
- Anonymous analytics: retained in aggregate only.
4. Cookies
This site itself sets no advertising or tracking cookies. Essential third-party services (Stripe checkout, Calendly scheduling, the Beehiiv subscription form) may set strictly necessary cookies when you actively use those features. Because we use cookieless analytics, no cookie consent banner is required for ordinary browsing.
5. Your rights
Under UK GDPR you have the right to access the personal data we hold about you, to have it corrected or deleted, to restrict or object to its processing, to data portability, and to withdraw consent at any time where consent is the basis. To exercise any of these, email hello@meridian58.com — we respond within one month.
If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk, though we'd appreciate the chance to resolve it first.
6. Changes to this policy
We will update this page when our practices or providers change, and revise the date at the top. Material changes affecting newsletter subscribers will be flagged in the newsletter itself.