Colchester Zoo is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains our data processing practices and your options regarding the ways in which your personal data is used. If you have any requests concerning your personal information or any queries with regard to our processing please contact us at enquiries@colchesterzoo.org

Who we are:

‘’Colchester Zoo’’ refers to the following entities:
Colchester Zoo Ltd a private limited company, registered in England no. 1271226
Colchester Zoo’s charity Action for the Wild, registered at the Charity Commission no. 1105621

‘’We’’ may refer to the two above entities as a collective. Colchester Zoo are the data controllers of your personal data. Our registered office is Colchester Zoo, Maldon Road, Stanway, Essex, CO3 0SL.

Information collected

Colchester Zoo collects the details provided by you on registration where you have opted to receive updates from us together with information about the transactions you undertake including details of payment cards used. We also monitor customer traffic patterns and site use which enables us to improve the service we provide.

Information we collect from you may include but is not limited to the following:

  • Title
  • Full name
  • Date of birth
  • Address
  • Telephone numbers
  • Email
  • Correspondence with you (including purchase records)
  • Bank or card details (in relation to a purchase/donation)
  • Gift aid details
  • CCTV footage of the premises
  • Sensitive data such as children’s information or information on accessibility and mobility.

The way we collect this data may include but is not limited to:

  • When you supply it to us directly. This may include but is not limited to: a product purchase, a donation, a comments forms, a survey or through our website and digital platforms.
  • In some circumstances we may be supplied your data through a third party, this may include but is not limited to someone purchasing a product on your behalf or as a gift.

How we use your data: 

All personal information that we collect about you will be recorded, used, and protected by us in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and this privacy policy.

When you sign up with us for an online account, register to receive marketing communications from us, enter one of our competitions, fill in one of our forms (whether online or offline) or otherwise expressly provide us with your personal information, we may collect and store any personal information that you provide to us and in broad terms, we use your data for the following purposes:

  • To provide products and information linked with your purchases and products you have taken out with us.  This may include but is not limited to: Zoo Pass memberships, animal adoptions, admission tickets, event bookings, retail items, donations and animal experiences.
  • To enable us to administer any competitions or offers/promotions which you may have entered.
  • To process payments you make for products, gift aid or donations.
  • For record keeping purposes.
  • To respond to general enquiries and feedback including complaints.
  • To carry out market research to improve the products and services we offer.
  • To create a profile for you so that we can understand and respect your preferences.
  • To personalise any communications that we may send you.
  • To notify you of any changes to our services.
  • To provide you with other information feel may be of legitimate interest to you including news, updates, offers, fundraising, competitions, as well as surveys.
  • As part of Contact Tracing purposes

When you interact with our digital platforms and free Guest WiFi, we may also automatically collect the following information about you:

  • How you have reached our digital platform.
  •  Your browser type, versions and plug-ins, and your operating system
  • Your journey through our digital platform, including which links you click on and any searches you made, how long you stayed on a page, and other page interaction information.
  • Which Colchester Zoo videos you have watched and for how long
  • Information collected in any forms you complete
  • We may also infer your country of location from the IP address you have used to access our digital platforms.

This data primarily to help us better understand how our guests use our digital platforms and WiFi to enable us create better content and more relevant communications.

Our free guest Wi-Fi can be accessed by signing in with a password we have supplied. The Wi-Fi is monitored by a third party.

The lawful basis that we rely on to use your personal data is outlined below:

  • You have given your consent for us to use your data for a specific purpose:
    We will ask for your consent to add your email to our marketing mailing list and receive marketing emails from us. You may withdraw your consent at any time.
  • We require your data to fulfil a contract with you:
    We may need to use your data so that we can enter into a contract with you.  This may include, but is not limited to, becoming a Zoo Passholder, making a purchase of an experience or product or making a donation. We would require your data to complete our agreement with you.
  • It is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation:
    This would include where we have to retain certain records health and safety, for the prevention of crime, safeguarding duties, for those related to gift aid donations and tax.
  • Public interest:
    Your data may be processed on the basis that it is necessary for the performance of tasks carried out by a public authority or private organisation acting in the public interest.
  • Vital interests:
    Your data may be processed on the basis that it is necessary to protect the interests of the data subject.
  • Legitimate interest:
    Data may be processed on the basis that it is in our legitimate interest in processing the data, provided that such legitimate interest is not overridden by your rights. We will use this to process your data when it is not possible or appropriate to ask for your consent, and where we are confident that this will not impact your rights.

Marketing communication:

We want you to be the first to know about news, competitions, offer, events and more from Colchester Zoo. If you haven’t already signed up to receive our marketing emails and would like to please click here. You can unsubscribe by writing to us at enquiries@colchesterzoo.org or using the ‘unsubscribe’ button which is available on all marketing emails from us.

Please note, if you do not choose to receive this information, we will be unable to keep you informed of new services, products, events or special offers that may interest you and our ability to inform you of T&Cs updates may be affected.

CCTV footage:

Colchester Zoo operates a CCTV surveillance system throughout the zoo, with images being monitored and recorded. The system is owned and managed by Colchester Zoo.

Images obtained from the system which include recognisable individuals constitute personal data and are covered by the Data Protection Act. The purpose for processing personal data through use of CCTV is crime prevention and/or staff monitoring. It is used to maintain public safety, the security of property and premises and for preventing and investigating crime, it may also be used to monitor staff when carrying out work duties. For these reasons the information processed may include visual images, personal appearance and behaviours.

When required this information is shared with the data subjects themselves, employees and agents, services providers, police forces, court or tribunal, security organisations and persons making an enquiry.

Cameras are located at strategic points throughout Colchester Zoo, at perimeters, entrance and exit points of both and public and non-public areas.

Signage is placed at the main entrance to Colchester Zoo to advise visitors and members of the public that a CCTV is in use.

Images captured by the system are recorded continuously. Access to the footage being recorded is strictly limited to management staff. The CCTV system is stored within a locked area and is restricted to senior staff and is password protected to prevent unauthorised access.

All CCTV Images will be deleted once their purpose has been discharged or after and automatic period of 50 days.

Disclosure of recorded material will only be made to third parties in accordance with the purposes of the system and in compliance with the Data Protection Act. Anyone who believes that they have been filmed by the system can request a copy of the recording, subject to any restrictions covered by the Data Protection Act.

Disclosure of your information

In order to provide our products and services to you or to fulfil contractual arrangements that we have with you, we may need to appoint other organisations to carry out some of the data processing activities on our behalf. These may include: 

  • Disclosing your personal data to our insurers and/or professional advisers as reasonably necessary for the purposes of obtaining or maintaining insurance coverage, managing risks, obtaining professional advice, defence of legal claims.
  • Payment processing relating to our website and services are handled by our payment services providers. We will share transaction data with our payment services providers only to the extent necessary for the purposes of processing your payments, refunding such payments and dealing with complaints and queries relating to such payments and refunds.
  • Delivery organisations, mailing houses, email marketing companies who also act in accordance with applicable data protection legislation may also be used so we can efficiently share information with you to fulfil a contract or contact you with information you have signed up to receive.
  • We may also share your data with our carefully selected sponsors and partners but we will only do this if you have consented to receive marketing relating to our sponsors and partners.

This data is only used for contact from Colchester Zoo and will not result in marketing material from third parties unless otherwise notified and agreed by you.

Cookies

“Cookies” are small pieces of information stored by your web browser to your computer, which enables the server to collect information about how you navigate the Colchester Zoo website. You can find out more about the way cookies work here. (https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/online/cookies/) 

Cookies are only used on this site to hold data from one page to another. They are not used to store personal information. Most browsers allow you to turn off the cookie function. If you want to know how to do this please look at the help menu on your browser.

Security of information

We take the security of your personal information seriously. When you submit your credit card details to us, we use a secure payment gateway with encryption technology to guard your information. In addition, we have security procedures in place to protect our paper-based systems and computerised databases from loss and misuse. Your information is only accessible by our staff and contractors who use appropriate procedures to protect your information.

If a password is required to access certain areas of our platforms, you are responsible for keeping this secure and confidential. Please do not share your password to any other person.

Access to Registered Users information

We will access the information recorded through the use of your registration to help us improve our service to you and to make our communications more relevant.

We may use your information to send you offers and news about Colchester Zoo, this may be by post, email, telephone or fax for these purposes.

Other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites which are outside our control and are not covered by this Privacy Policy. If you access other sites using the links provided, the operators of these sites may collect information from you which will be used by them in accordance with their privacy policy, which may differ from ours.

Access rights

You have a right to access the personal data that is held about you. To obtain a copy of the personal information Colchester Zoo holds about you, please write to us at the following address: Colchester Zoo, Maldon Road, Stanway, Colchester, Essex, CO3 0SL enclosing your postal details.

You may correct or update your personal information at any time by emailing us at enquiries@colchesterzoo.org. Please include your name, address, date of birth and email address to this helps us to ensure that we accept amendments from the correct person.

You may also request for your personal information to be removed from our database at any time. Details will only continue to be held if relevant to fulfil a contract in relation to a product purchased or to prevent you from being sent further communication in the future.

Retaining your data

We will securely retain your information for as long as is reasonably necessary in relation to the products you have purchased (and in accordance with applicable law) If you wish to submit a request that your data be deleted, please write to us at the above address.

If you have subscribed to receive marketing communications, you can unsubscribe at any time, your data may be held as an unsubscribed contact to prevent us from sending you further communications. 

Changes to this privacy policy

We aim to meet high standards and so our policies and procedures are constantly under review. From time to time we may change this privacy policy. Accordingly we recommend that you check this page periodically in order to review the latest version.

For any queries regarding this policy please contact enquiries@colchesterzoo.org

Updated June 2021