Martyn’s Law - Terrorism Safety for Public Venues
Martyn’s Law, officially known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, is a piece of UK legislation that is being introduced in stages to improve public safety at venues where large numbers of people gather. It is designed to ensure that organisations take proportionate but meaningful steps to prepare for and respond to the threat of terrorism.
The law is named in memory of Martyn Hett, one of the victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, and reflects a wider effort to strengthen security planning in public spaces across the UK.
Purpose of Martyn’s Law
The core aim of Martyn’s Law is to improve preparedness. Rather than relying only on emergency services responding to an incident, the legislation places responsibility on venue operators and businesses to think ahead, assess risks, and have clear procedures in place to protect the public.
It applies primarily to publicly accessible locations where crowds may gather, including shopping centres, entertainment venues, sports facilities, leisure centres, and certain hospitality venues depending on their size and function.
Key Requirements for Venues
Although the exact obligations vary depending on the size and capacity of a venue, the law generally focuses on a set of core responsibilities.
Venues will be expected to carry out security risk assessments to identify potential vulnerabilities and understand how a threat could arise. This forms the foundation of all further planning.
They must also develop clear emergency procedures, including plans for evacuation, lockdown, or “invacuation” (moving people to safer internal areas if leaving the building is not possible).
A further requirement is ensuring that staff are properly trained so they understand how to respond in an emergency. This includes basic awareness of threats and clear instructions on actions to take during a critical incident.
Depending on the risk level and size of the venue, businesses may also need to implement practical security measures. These can include controlled entry points, bag checks, CCTV monitoring, or other systems designed to detect and deter suspicious activity.
In some cases, venues may also need to introduce physical protective measures, such as barriers or reinforced access points, particularly where higher levels of risk are identified.
Finally, organisations will be required to assign a designated person responsible for security planning and compliance, ensuring that procedures are maintained and updated appropriately.
What This Means for Businesses
For businesses and venue operators, Martyn’s Law means a more structured approach to security planning. Existing health and safety procedures will need to be reviewed and expanded to include scenarios involving deliberate acts of harm.
In practice, this may involve updating risk assessments, improving emergency response plans, and ensuring that staff receive appropriate training. Many organisations may also need to reconsider how people enter, move through, and are managed within their premises during busy periods or large events.
Importantly, the requirements are intended to be proportionate, meaning that measures should reflect the size and risk profile of the venue rather than imposing unnecessary burdens on smaller businesses.
Conclusion
Martyn’s Law represents a significant shift in how public safety is managed in the UK. By requiring venues to prepare for a wider range of threats, it aims to improve coordination, awareness, and response in the event of a terrorist incident.
For businesses that fall within its scope, early preparation will be key, ensuring that risk assessments, staff training, and emergency planning are in place well before full enforcement begins.
The Home Office will be publishing statutory guidance during the implementation period to assist those responsible in understanding the new requirements.