Valetine’s Day Greatest Love Story competition – terms and conditions

By entering the Promotion, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions (these Terms and Conditions). Completion and submission of an entry form or e-mail will also be deemed acceptance of these Terms and Conditions. Promotional materials relating to the Promotion, including all information on how to enter the Promotion published in publications of the Promoter (defined below) (including social media if applicable) or on the Promoter’s websites, also form part of these Terms and Conditions. In the event of any conflict between any terms referred to in such promotional materials and these Terms and Conditions, these Terms and Conditions take precedence.

All information submitted in connection with this Promotion will be processed in accordance with our privacy policy accessible at http://www.newsprivacy.co.uk/.

The promoter of this Promotion is News Group Newspapers Ltd (publishers of The Sun and The Sun on Sunday) of 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF (the Promoter).

Participation in the Promotion

1. The Promotion is only open to residents of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland only. The following individuals are not eligible to enter the Promotion:

a) employees and agents of the Promoter, News Corp UK & Ireland Limited or other group companies;

b) employees and agents of any organisation directly connected with the operation or fulfilment of the Promotion (including third party promotional partners) and their respective associated, affiliated or subsidiary companies;

c) the immediate families and household members of all such employees and agents referred to in (a) and (b); and

d) individuals under 18 years of age.

2. The Promotion starts at 00.01 AM (UK time) on 21 January 2024 and closes at 11.59 PM (UK time) on 5 February 2024 (the Promotion Period). Any entries received outside the Promotion Period will be void.

3. Participants may make a maximum of one entry per couple during the Promotion Period. Bulk, automatically generated or third party entries are void. At the end of the Promotion, participants’ entries will not be returned to them.

4. To enter you must say in less than 200 words why your romance deserves to win this special prize. All entries must include a photo of you and your partner, and please include your full names, ages and where you live. Entries must be sent by email to sundayfeatures@the-sun.co.uk together with your name, email address, postal address and telephone number, during the Promotion Period.

5. Entries to the Promotion must be the original work of the participant and not previously published. Entries which are or in the Promoter’s reasonable opinion appear to be plagiarised will be disqualified. Participants acknowledge and agree that:

(a) they have obtained all rights, licences, and permissions necessary, in writing, from any person who may have helped create and/or be featured in their entry; and

(b) their entry to the Promotion (including any text and photographs):

(i) does not contain or feature any personal information about any person (including their name, contact details, a photograph of them and/or any other identifying information) without that person’s consent (proof of which must be provided to the Promoter upon request);

(ii) does not contain any content that is defamatory, libellous, racist, homophobic, derogatory, pornographic, obscene, sexist, illegal, and/or otherwise inappropriate;

(iii) does not include trade marks, logos, or copyright protected material which belongs to third parties without permission (including company names, music, photographs, motion picture or television programme clips or audio tracks, works of art, or images published on or in websites, television, movies, or other media);

(iv) is not subject to any third party agreements and the Promoter will not be required to pay any sums to any third party as a result of the Promoter’s use (as set out in these Terms and Conditions) or the exploitation by the Promoter of the idea, video or other rights contained in any entry; and

(v) does not contain any known virus, trojan horse, worm, trapdoor or similar software that may in any way infect or affect any of the Promoter’s hardware or software systems.

6. The Promoter reserves the right to remove or temporarily suspend from the Promotion any entries submitted if, in its reasonable opinion, it suspects any breach of these Terms and Conditions or if it receives any complaint from a third party relating to such entry.

7. Entries received which are not submitted via the official entry method will not be accepted. Use of script, macro or any automated system to enter the Promotion is prohibited and entries made (or which appear to have been made) using any such system may be treated as void. Any illegible, incomplete or fraudulent entries will be rejected. No purchase of any product or service is required to enter into this Promotion. Participants should be aware that they may be subject to data charges at the usual rate depending on their own individual arrangements for Internet access if they enter the Promotion online or by email.

Winners and Prizes

8. There will be one winner. One prize per winner.

9. The winner will be the entrant whose entry best demonstrates their romance story. The winner will be selected by an independent judge (or a panel of judges including at least one independent member). The decision of the judge(s) shall be final. The names of the judge(s) for a Promotion can be made available on request.

10. The prize is for two adults, aged 18 and over, and includes:

a) A one night stay for two people in an executive room at London Hilton on Park Lane;

b) Champagne for two people at the Revery Bar at London Hilton Park Lane;

c) Dinner for two people at Park Corner Brasserie;

d) A voucher for two West End theatre tickets to a show of the winner’s choice, courtesy of Buyagift.

11. In relation to the hotel and dinner elements of the prize, the following terms and conditions apply:

a. The Hilton hotel stay must be claimed within the specified one-year period from the date of issuance.

b. Reservations for dinner, drinks, and the hotel stay are subject to availability and should be made in advance.

c. Exclusions may apply, particularly on News Year’s Eve, during peak seasons and holidays.

d. Guests must present valid government-issued identification upon check-in at London Hilton Park Lane, and the winner may be required to provide proof of identity when claiming the prize.

e. Participants and winners must be of legal drinking age to enjoy alcoholic beverages at Revery Bar.

f. The Promoter or the hotel will not be responsible for lost or stolen vouchers or any unused portions of the prize.

g. The prize is non transferable and may not be sold, bartered or exchanged for cash or any other goods or services.

h. Any additional expenses incurred during the hotel stay, such as room service, spa treatments, or parking fees, are the responsibility of the winner and are not included in the prize.

i. Hilton reserves the right to modify or cancel the hotel offer at any time without prior notice, should unforeseen circumstances or situations beyond our control arise.

j. Any disputes arising from the prize will be resolved at the discretion of the hotel management.

k. Winners and their guests must comply with all hotel policies and rules during their stay, including but not limited to, no-smoking policies, noise restrictions, and dress codes.

l. The hotel will not be liable for any personal injury, loss, damage, or theft that may occur during the stay.

12. In relation to the Buyagift theatre voucher element of the prize, the following terms and conditions apply:

a. vouchers are fully flexible and can be redeemed against Buyagift’s huge range of experiences;

b. voucher is valid for two people;

c. tickets allow access to seats across a range of dates, subject to availability;

d. Generally, better seating is available for weekday performances (with an option to upgrade at the point of booking);

e. Winner can easily pre-book online by following the instructions on the voucher received after purchase;

f. Winner should pick the date and time, then choose from a selection of allocated seats available; and,

g. All performances are subject to availability.

13. Prizes are as stated and are non-exchangeable and non-transferable. There is no cash or other alternative to the prize in whole or in part.

14. The winner is responsible for paying all associated costs that are not specifically stated in any Promotional materials or these Terms and Conditions, including (where applicable) transport, accommodation, meal costs, spending money, insurance and all other incidentals. Winners are also personally responsible for any personal or incidental expenses and any VAT, national and/or local tax liabilities incurred in claiming or using the prize. By participating in the Promotion, participants agree that the prize is awarded on an “as is” basis, and that neither the Promoter nor any of its subsidiary or affiliated companies, make any guarantees, representations or warranties of any nature with respect to the prize.

15. In the event that, for reasons beyond the Promoter’s reasonable control, the Promoter is unable to award the prize as described in these Terms and Conditions, the Promoter reserves the right to award a prize of a similar nature and an equivalent value, or at its sole discretion, the cash value of the prize. The Promoter also reserves the right to award a prize of a similar nature and an equivalent value, or at its sole discretion, the cash value of the prize if in its reasonable discretion it is appropriate to do so.

16. The Promoter may amend or withdraw any element of a competition, prize draw, vote or poll for reasons beyond their reasonable control, including but not limited to the unavailability of the vote, poll, competition or prize draw entry platform before the closing date, or for strike, lock-out, labour dispute, illness, act of God, natural disaster, adverse weather conditions, war, riot, civil commotion, accident, public health concern in relation to potential infection, epidemic or pandemic, malicious damage, fire, flood and/or storm, compliance with law or governmental order, rule, regulation or direction, breakdown of plant, machinery or transportation. The Promotor is not responsible for any loss or damage caused to you as a result of any of these occurrences. Therefore the Promoter shall not be responsible if a winner is unable to redeem their prize for any time period as a result of government guidelines or restrictions resulting from COVID-19. No alternative booking dates or compensation will be made available in these circumstances.

Winner Announcement and claiming of prize

17. Winners will be notified by email or phone or using the other contact details provided to the Promoter within 7 (seven) days after the end of the Promotion. All reasonable endeavours will be made to contact the winner during the specified time. If a winner cannot be contacted or is not available, the Promoter reserves the right to re-draw another winner from the valid/correct entries that were received during the Promotion Period. Winners may be required to submit valid identification before receiving their prize.

18. Winner will be required to confirm acceptance of the applicable prize within 14 (fourteen) days of having been notified. If the winner has not claimed their prize by the date specified, the Promoter reserves the right to award the prize to another participant.

19. The prize will be delivered within a reasonable time and by no later than 28 days after the prize has been accepted.

20. The Promoter proposes to make available a list of winners, subject to any objections from the relevant individuals. For a copy of the list, please send a stamped self-addressed envelope by no later than 28 days after the end of the Promotion Period to News UK, Promotions Department, 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF stating for which Promotion you would like winners’ details. If a winner objects to this information being made available, they should inform the Promoter at the earliest opportunity using email help@thsun.co.uk/. Winners acknowledge that the Promoter may still be required to share their details with the Advertising Standards Authority or other regulators.

Data Protection and Publicity

21. The Promoter will collect and process participants’ personal information in accordance with the privacy policy at http://www.newsprivacy.co.uk/. The information provided may be shared with the Promoter’s agents, affiliates and, if applicable, any third party prize provider (including those outside the UK/European Economic Area) who will process such information in accordance with their own privacy policy. Information provided by participants will be used for the purpose of conducting this Promotion (including for prizes to be delivered) and other purposes as may be specified and/or consented to at the time of entry or on promotional materials. If participants do not provide any of the mandatory information requested when participating in the Promotion, their entry will be void.

22. The Promoter is required to either publish or make available information that indicates a valid award took place. As such, the Promoter will send the surname and county of major prize winners and, if applicable copies of their winning entries, to anyone that contacts the Promoter at the address given above by no later than 28 days after the end of the Promotion Period.

23. If a winner objects to any or all of their surname, county and winning entry being published or made available, they should contact the Promoter at the address given above. In such circumstances, the Promoter must still provide the information and winning entry to competent authorities, including the Advertising Standard Authority, on request.

24. Participants will retain copyright in their submitted entries to the Promotion, however, by entering, all entrants grant the Promoter a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual licence to edit, publish and use each Promotion entry in any and all media (including print and online) for publicity and news purposes in respect of all intellectual property rights arising in and related to the entries in question. Participants acknowledge and agree that they have all rights necessary to grant the rights provided for in this paragraph 23, and that all materials forming part of their entry to the Promotion, and any use of such materials by or on behalf of the Promoter, comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations and do not infringe or otherwise violate the intellectual property or other rights of any third party, including privacy rights.

General

25. The Promoter’s decision is final and binding on the entrants. No correspondence will be entered into.

26. The Promoter reserves the right to require the participants to prove that they are eligible. If a winner is found to be ineligible, the Promoter reserves the right to award their prize to another participant and to require the return of any prize already awarded.

27. The provision of the prize does not imply endorsement by the Promoter of Hilton, Buyagift or any other third parties concerned in any way with the Promotion. Any complaints or queries relating to the use of the prize should be directed to the relevant prize provider.

28. Unless otherwise stated in the promotional materials, this Promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, the manufacturer or service provider of the relevant prize. You are providing your information to the Promoter and not to the manufacturer or service provider of the relevant prize (although, if you win, your details may be disclosed to the prize provider in order to provide you with the prize).

29. Entrants must not do anything illegal and/or dangerous and/or that would put themselves or others at any risk. Save where it has been negligent, the Promoter will not be responsible for any damage, loss or injury resulting from participants’ entry into the Promotion or their acceptance and/or use of the prize, or for technical, hardware or software failures, lost, faulty or unavailable network connections or difficulties of any kind that may limit or prohibit participant’s ability to participate in the Promotion. The Promoter will not be responsible for any lost, damaged, defaced, incomplete, illegible or otherwise unreadable entries. Proof of posting is not proof of receipt by the Promoter of any entries. Without prejudice to an entrant’s statutory rights and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Promoter, its agents or distributors will not be responsible or liable to compensate the winner or accept any liability for any loss, damage, personal injury or death occurring as a result of taking up a prize. Nothing in these Terms and Conditions shall in any way limit or exclude the Promoter’s liability for fraudulent misrepresentation, death or personal injury caused by its negligence or for any other matter where liability may not be limited as a matter of law.

30. The Promoter reserves the right at any time to cancel, modify or supersede the Promotion (including altering prizes) if, in its reasonable discretion, it becomes necessary to do so. In the event of a printing or other error resulting in there being more winners than prizes for the Promotion, the Promoter reserves the right to (a) declare as void any claims or entries resulting from such printing or other error; and/or (b) allocate the available prize(s) through a further draw or to divide the prize(s) or the value of the prize(s) between the winners of the Promotion.

31. Any participant who enters or attempts to enter the Promotion in a manner, which in the Promoter’s reasonable opinion is contrary to these Terms and Conditions or by its nature is unjust to other entrants (including tampering with the operation of the Promotion, cheating, hacking, deception or any other unfair playing practices such as intending to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other participants or the Promoter and/or any of its agents or representatives) may be rejected from the Promotion at the Promoter’s sole discretion. Furthermore, where such actions have significantly impaired the Promotion, the Promoter may, at its sole discretion, add further stages to the Promotion as it deems reasonably necessary in order to resolve any problems arising from such actions.

32. The Promoter reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions in its reasonable discretion. Any amendments will be published on the Promoter’s website (the Website).

33. These Terms and Conditions are governed by English law. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to hear any dispute or claim arising in association with the Promotion or these Terms and Conditions.

In-paper T&Cs

Your terms and conditions to be included in the paper are set out below.

If space is particularly limited, please discuss with legal to ascertain if it is possible to shorten these further.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Promotion closes at 23.59pm on 5 February 2024.

Open to residents of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland only, except for anyone under 18 years of age, employees and agents of the Promoter and its group companies, or third parties directly connected with the operation or fulfilment of the Promotion and their affiliates, and their immediate families and household members.

One entry per couple. Winners will be selected based on the following criteria: insert judging criteria – best romance story.

No cash alternative and prize is non-transferable.

Your information will be used to administer this Promotion and otherwise in accordance with our privacy policy at newsprivacy.co.uk.

Promoter is News Group Newspapers Ltd. Full T&Cs apply – see [insert hyperlink].