Last updated: 22 April 2026
These Terms of Use (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the MerchMates website at www.merchmates.co.uk (the “Site”). By accessing or using the Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, you must not use the Site.
1. About MerchMates
MerchMates is an independent editorial publication covering pop culture, film, television, music, gaming, and related subjects. The Site is operated on a personal, non-commercial publishing basis by George Patient, based in England, United Kingdom.
These Terms should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, Affiliate Disclosure, and Copyright & Takedown Notice.
2. Acceptable Use
You agree to use the Site only for lawful purposes and in a manner that does not infringe the rights of, restrict, or inhibit anyone else’s use and enjoyment of the Site. Prohibited behaviour includes but is not limited to:
- using the Site in any way that causes, or may cause, damage to the Site or impairment of its availability or accessibility;
- using the Site in any way that is unlawful, illegal, fraudulent, or harmful;
- using the Site to copy, store, host, transmit, send, use, publish, or distribute any material that consists of (or is linked to) any spyware, computer virus, Trojan horse, worm, keystroke logger, rootkit, or other malicious computer software;
- conducting any systematic or automated data collection activities (including without limitation scraping, data mining, data extraction, and data harvesting) on or in relation to the Site without express written consent;
- using the Site to transmit or send unsolicited commercial communications; or
- using data collected from the Site for any direct marketing activity.
3. Editorial Content and Opinions
All editorial content on the Site — including articles, reviews, rankings, recommendations, and commentary — represents the personal views and opinions of the author(s) at the time of writing. Such content is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice.
While we take reasonable care to ensure the accuracy of information published, we make no warranties or representations, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability of any content. Any reliance you place on such content is strictly at your own risk.
4. Third-Party Content and Intellectual Property
The Site displays and references content sourced from third parties, including but not limited to film posters, television imagery, promotional materials, cast photographs, and associated metadata. Such content remains the property of its respective rights holders and is used on the Site for editorial, informational, and commentary purposes under the principles of fair dealing in UK copyright law.
4.1 TMDB Attribution
Film and television data and imagery used on the Site are sourced from The Movie Database (TMDB) via their public API. MerchMates uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise affiliated with TMDB. All such data and imagery remain subject to TMDB’s terms of use and the rights of the underlying rights holders (studios, distributors, and producers). For further information, see themoviedb.org.
4.2 Press and Promotional Materials
Certain imagery on the Site is sourced from official press materials, studio newsrooms, and publicly distributed promotional assets, and is used for the purposes of editorial reporting, criticism, review, and commentary. Where possible, such materials are credited to their source.
4.3 Rights Holder Notices
If you are a rights holder and believe that content on the Site has been used in a manner that infringes your rights, please refer to our Copyright & Takedown Notice for the process to submit a formal notification.
5. MerchMates Original Content
All original editorial content, written material, site design, layout, branding, logos, and associated works are the property of George Patient trading as MerchMates, unless otherwise indicated. You may read, share links to, and quote brief excerpts of such content for non-commercial personal use, provided that appropriate attribution is given and a link to the original article is included. Any other use — including reproduction, republication, distribution, or commercial exploitation — requires prior written consent.
6. Advertising
The Site displays advertising served by third-party advertising partners, including Monumetric (a trading name of The Blogger Network, LLC). Such partners may collect information about your use of the Site for the purposes of serving relevant advertising. For details of the data collected and your options, please refer to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.
MerchMates does not endorse the products or services advertised, and assumes no responsibility for the content, accuracy, legality, or reliability of any third-party advertisements.
7. Affiliate Links
Certain articles on the Site may contain affiliate links. Where such links are present, they are disclosed in accordance with our Affiliate Disclosure. Affiliate relationships do not influence editorial opinions or recommendations.
8. External Links
The Site contains links to external websites operated by third parties. Such links are provided for convenience and informational purposes only. MerchMates has no control over the content, availability, or practices of external sites and accepts no responsibility for them. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement.
9. Disclaimer of Warranties
The Site and all content provided on it are made available on an “as is” and “as available” basis. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, MerchMates expressly disclaims all warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. MerchMates does not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free, nor that defects will be corrected.
10. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, MerchMates and its operator shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or exemplary damages arising out of or in connection with your use of (or inability to use) the Site, including but not limited to damages for loss of profits, goodwill, use, data, or other intangible losses, whether based on contract, tort (including negligence), or any other legal theory, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability which cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.
11. Indemnity
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless MerchMates and its operator against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in connection with your breach of these Terms or your use of the Site.
12. Changes to These Terms
MerchMates reserves the right to amend these Terms at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last updated” date. Continued use of the Site following any amendment constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
13. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them or their subject matter (including non-contractual disputes or claims), shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any dispute shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
14. Contact
For questions regarding these Terms, please contact:
Email: contact@merchmates.co.uk