The Business Guide to Martyn’s Law: What It Is and How to Prepare

If you operate a business that brings people together—whether it’s a bustling restaurant, an office complex, an industrial facility, or a pop-up corporate event footprint—the legislative landscape in the UK is about to change significantly.

Commonly known as Martyn’s Law, the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill is a upcoming piece of UK legislation designed to ensure that public venues are better prepared for, and protected against, the threat of terrorist attacks.

Here is a straightforward look at what Martyn's Law means for your business, who it impacts, and how you can proactively adapt.

The Story Behind the Legislation

Martyn’s Law is named in memory of Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people tragically killed in the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017. Following the attack, an unwavering campaign led by Martyn’s mother, Figen Murray, highlighted a critical gap in public safety: under current UK law, there is no formal, legislated requirement for public venues to employ basic anti-terrorism security measures or training.

The new bill seeks to close that gap, shifting public safety from an optional best practice to a statutory duty.

Who Does Martyn’s Law Apply To?

The legislation applies to anyone responsible for publicly accessible premises or events in the UK with a capacity of 100 people or more. If your venue or event falls into this category, it will be placed into one of two tiers based entirely on capacity:

1. The Standard Tier (Capacity: 100 – 799 people)

This tier captures smaller to mid-sized venues, such as high-street restaurants, larger offices, and standard corporate events.

• The Requirements: Businesses in this tier are expected to undertake low-cost, common-sense security activities. This includes ensuring staff undergo basic counter-terrorism training, raising awareness of potential threats, and establishing simple, clear evacuation and invacuation plans.

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2. The Enhanced Tier (Capacity: 800+ people)

This tier applies to high-capacity locations and major public events—such as large manufacturing campuses, major logistics hubs, or large-scale community festivals.

• The Requirements: Because the potential impact of an incident is much higher, enhanced premises must undertake a formal, comprehensive risk assessment. They are required to implement a robust security plan, execute physical security measures, and demonstrate a deeply embedded culture of vigilance and preparedness among all operational staff.

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What Does This Mean for Your Day-to-Day Operations?

Martyn’s Law is not designed to turn your business into a fortress or ruin the client experience. Instead, it aims to foster a standardized baseline of proactive vigilance.

To remain compliant, businesses will need to focus on a few key pillars:

• Staff Training: Ensuring your team recognizes the signs of suspicious behavior and understands the absolute basics of counter-terrorism vigilance (such as the government's Action Counters Terrorismmodules).

• Clear Protocols: Having a definitive, practiced answer to the question: What do we do if an active threat occurs outside or inside our doors? This means establishing clear communication lines, lock-down procedures (invacuation), and safe exit routes (evacuation).

• Supply Chain & Partner Alignment: When hosting events or bringing third-party operators onto your site, you will need to ensure that your contractors, caterers, and facilities teams are fully aligned with your site's security frameworks and RAMS (Risk Assessments and Method Statements).

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Moving Forward: Preparation Over Panic

While the bill moves through the final stages of parliamentary scrutiny toward official implementation, forward-thinking businesses aren't waiting for the law to mandate action. Implementing basic safety training and reviewing your venue's physical access points today is not just a regulatory box-ticking exercise—it's a fundamental part of responsible corporate citizenship.

By building a culture of preparedness now, you protect your staff, give your clients absolute peace of mind, and ensure your business is perfectly positioned for the upcoming statutory shift.

Is your business currently conducting an annual review of its event safety protocols and staff training? Now is the perfect time to start the conversation.