Martyn’s Law – How to Prepare to Ensure Public Safety
Who is the law likely to affect?
Martyn’s Law is likely to impact a wide range of venues, including large-scale concert arenas, theatres, sporting stadiums, shopping centres, hospitality venues, museums, galleries, cinemas, and smaller public spaces such as community centres or local pubs with live events.
What is required?
It’s important to recognise that the measures implemented are proportionate to the risk. Therefore, Martyn’s Law introduces a tiered approach to compliance based on venue size, capacity, and risk profile. Smaller venues, such as boutique cinemas or community theatres, will need to implement straightforward measures: staff training, clear evacuation procedures, and basic incident response planning. For these venues, the focus is on awareness and preparedness, ensuring that employees know how to act in a crisis and to ensure they have a thorough risk assessment.
The legislation establishes two tiers of assessment – standard and enhanced – depending on venue size and capacity. These assessments determine the scale of protective measures required.
Larger venues, such as stadiums, concert arenas, and major shopping centres, will be required to carry out more detailed risk assessments and implement comprehensive protective measures. These may include controlled access points, hostile vehicle mitigation, enhanced surveillance, and coordination with local emergency services.
Who will be regulating and enforcing Martyn’s Law?
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) will be the primary regulator and enforcer of Martyn’s Law (the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025), with a new regulatory function established within the SIA to oversee compliance.
Aiming for a higher standard than legislative compliance
It is important to recognise that meeting the legal minimum is only the starting point. Organisations should aim to go above and beyond the legal requirements.
For example, a medium-sized theatre may comply by training staff on evacuation procedures, but a proactive approach might involve conducting regular scenario-based drills, engaging with local police on emergency planning, and implementing visitor communication strategies during incidents. Similarly, a shopping centre could go beyond compliance by reviewing parking layouts to minimise vehicle-based threats or by providing staff with situational awareness and de-escalation training.
Management need to be committed in ensuring sufficient resources are available and prioritise security. Employees need training in recognising suspicious activity, understanding evacuation routes, and reacting calmly and decisively under pressure. Regular drills and exercises are essential to test employees’ responses and identify improvements.
Current Threat Level
MI5, The Security Service, identifies current UK threat levels as significant. And while there is a 24-month implementation period extending to April 2027, an attack could occur at any time. Therefore, it is essential that all organisations ensure they have sufficient protective measures in place.
Protective Measures
The goal is to implement reasonable measures that protect visitors and staff. These may include:
- controlled access points: ticketed entry, ID verification, and bag checks to manage who enters the venue;
- surveillance and monitoring: CCTV systems that cover entrances, exits, and key public areas, supported by trained operators;
- hostile vehicle mitigation: barriers, bollards, or landscaping to prevent unauthorised vehicle access at large-scale events;
- emergency communication systems: clear signage, panic buttons, PA systems, and digital notifications to inform visitors in real-time; and
- staff positioning and patrolling: visible security presence to deter potential attackers and reassure the public.
Venue Examples
- Concert arenas require robust crowd control, clear evacuation procedures, hostile vehicle mitigation, and coordination with law enforcement.
- Stadiums and sporting venues need risk assessments for crowd density, emergency medical services, and access control for players and staff.
- Shopping centres and retail parks should consider vehicle access points, CCTV coverage, and staff training for incident reporting.
- Museums, galleries, and cultural venues benefit from discreet protective measures that safeguard visitors while maintaining accessibility and openness.
- Community centres and smaller venues should focus on training, awareness, and simple, clear emergency procedures suitable for their scale.
The principles remain the same throughout all venues: assess risk, train staff, implement practical measures, and embed preparedness into organisational culture.
