Northal / · § Legal · Privacy

How I handle your data, in plain English.

Northal is a one-person design studio based in Northallerton. I keep things simple. This page explains what information I collect when you visit the site or get in touch, what I do with it, and the rights you have over it under UK GDPR.

This is the current version of my privacy notice, written in plain English for the people who actually read it. If anything here is unclear, or you’d like to know exactly how I handle your data in your particular case, just ask.
Last updated: 8 July 2026

§ 01Who I am

Northal (the “Studio”, “I”, “me”) is a sole-trader design practice operating from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom. When I refer to your data in this document, I mean any information that identifies you or could reasonably be linked back to you: your name, your email, the content of a message you’ve sent me, and so on.

Northal is the trading name of Seth Brigginshaw, a sole trader based in Northallerton. For the purposes of UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, I am the data controller of the information described below.

§ 02What I collect

I try to collect the smallest amount of information necessary to run a small design studio properly.

When you use the contact form

  • Your name and email address, so I can reply.
  • What you’re after, the type of work and a rough budget range, the message you write, and which page you sent it from.
  • This goes two places: it’s saved as an enquiry in my own database so nothing gets lost, and it’s emailed to me (with a copy back to you) through my email provider. See §05.

When you email me directly

  • Your name, email address, and anything you choose to tell me in the body of the message.
  • Attachments you send (briefs, brand materials, reference images).

When we’re working together on a project

  • Invoicing details: business name, billing address, VAT number where relevant.
  • Any content, credentials or material you explicitly share with me so I can do the work.

When you simply visit the site

  • No tracking cookies, no advertising tags. I use cookieless analytics for basic visitor numbers (see §07), and my host keeps short-lived request logs, IP address, browser, timestamp, for security and abuse prevention (see §05).

§ 03Why I collect it

I use the information above for a handful of clearly-scoped reasons:

  • To reply to enquiries and have the conversation that leads to a project.
  • To deliver the work I’ve been engaged to do.
  • To raise invoices, keep proper records, and meet my tax obligations with HMRC.
  • To send occasional project-related updates to existing clients.

I do not use your data for marketing to people I haven’t spoken to, and I do not sell, rent, or share it with anyone for commercial purposes.

Under UK GDPR I have to tell you the lawful basis under which I process your data. For Northal it’s one of three:

  • Legitimate interests: to respond to enquiries and run the studio in a reasonable, proportionate way.
  • Performance of a contract: to deliver work I’ve been engaged to do.
  • Legal obligation: for tax and accounting records (HMRC currently requires these to be kept for six years).

§ 05Sharing & third parties

To actually run a modern studio I rely on a small number of trusted services. Where your data touches them, it is only insofar as necessary for that service to work:

  • Proton Mail: hosts my email; your messages to me and my replies are stored there. Mail to my address is routed in via Cloudflare.
  • Vercel: hosts this website and the database that stores contact-form enquiries, on UK/EU and global edge infrastructure. Its request logs also cover the security logging mentioned in §02.
  • Resend: sends the two emails triggered by the contact form: my notification and your confirmation copy.
  • Cloudflare: provides my DNS, basic site security, and the cookieless Web Analytics described in §07.
  • Accounting & HMRC: invoices and receipts are kept in bookkeeping software and, where the law requires, shared with HMRC.

Each of these is a data processor with its own privacy practices, and I only pass on what that service needs to do its job. I’ll happily confirm exactly which services touch your data at any point, just ask.

§ 06How long I keep it

I keep data only as long as there’s a good reason to. Broadly:

  • Enquiries that didn’t lead to a project: deleted after 12 months.
  • Project correspondence and files: retained for the life of the engagement plus up to 24 months, to support warranty, references, and case studies.
  • Invoices and financial records: six years, in line with HMRC requirements.

You can ask me to delete your data sooner; see §08.

§ 07Cookies & analytics

This site sets no tracking cookies and runs no advertising. For basic visitor numbers I use Cloudflare Web Analytics, which is cookieless: it stores nothing on your device and collects no data that identifies you personally. Because none of it needs your consent, there’s no cookie banner to click through.

If I ever add something that does require consent, I’ll update this page and ask first, before anything is set.

§ 08Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have a number of rights over your personal data. In plain terms, you can ask me to:

  • Tell you what I hold about you (a subject access request).
  • Correct anything that’s wrong.
  • Delete your data, where there’s no overriding reason for me to keep it.
  • Restrict or object to how I’m using it.
  • Provide it to you in a portable format.

To exercise any of the above, email me at hello@northalstudio.com. I’ll respond within one calendar month. If you’re not happy with how I’ve handled your request, you can escalate to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK regulator for data protection.

§ 09Get in touch

Questions about this notice, or about how I handle your data specifically, can be sent to:

Email: hello@northalstudio.com
Post: Northal Studio, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL7, United Kingdom

§ 10Changes to this notice

I’ll update this page whenever my practices meaningfully change. The “Last updated” date at the top will always reflect the most recent revision. For material changes I’ll attempt to notify clients directly; for everything else, the latest version lives here.

Version 1.0 · 8 July 2026 · Northal Studio, Northallerton.