Here’s some important news for anyone who runs premises or organises events.
Martyn’s Law is the new legislation intended to ‘ensure the public are better protected from terrorism, by requiring certain public premises and events to be prepared and ready to keep people safe in the event of an attack.’
The legislation was passed in April 2025 and we’re now in a lead-in period (of at least two years) before the legal requirements come into force. What you’ll have to do depends on how many people it is ‘reasonable to expect… may be present at least occasionally’ – it’s not about the maximum number of people your venue can hold.
Follow this link to find out how to assess a ‘reasonable figure’ for your attendance
‘Standard Tier’ premises are where you expect 200-799 people to be present at the same time and the guidance says what’s required will be, ‘Simple, low-cost activities with costs relating primarily to time spent. There is no requirement to put in place physical measures.’
Follow this link for more information about standard tier
‘Enhanced Tier’ requirements are for premises and events where 800+ people are expected to be there at the same time. These requirements are more in-depth.
Follow this link for more information about enhanced tier
For premises below the standard tier, i.e. you don’t expect 200+ people to ever be there at the same time, the legal requirements won’t apply to you. However, there might be some good practice guidance in due course and external bodies like insurance companies and grant givers could impose their own conditions. More updates as we get them…
No action is needed yet – the Government has said there’ll be an implementation period of at least two years – but it’s good to plan ahead. We’ll share further information as it’s released and will also run briefing sessions to help you follow the new requirements.
Follow this link for more information
