Prospective employers contacting current employers that I'm looking for a job?

Throwaway account (if you can't already tell by the username...)

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So I've found a job I'm thinking of applying to, but after a quick peek on LinkedIn I've found that some of the people are connected to people in my current workplace. They're both very small companies. Where I work currently is quite informal; people are quite close to one another, and they hang around with each other after work, even go on holidays abroad together so it's the sort of place where information would spread quickly.

My concern is that if I apply for the job at this new place, would the employees (e.g. those who would interview me) who are connected to my fellow employees/bosses at my current place be likely to say to them something along the lines of 'Oh hey, do you realise one of your employees came to us for an interview for a job here?'. I'm unsure how close these connections are to each other between my potential future employers and current workplace - it could just be the result of them meeting at local networking events.

I'm in the UK so not sure if there's any confidentiality 'rules' or whatnot on this whole thing. Anyone experienced anything similar?

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