Martyn’s Law is coming: What businesses need to know now
Insights from Pete Sherwood
Branch Director at Hazelton Mountford
Martyn’s Law is on its way, and if your business operates a public-facing premises, it may apply to you.
Formally known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, Martyn’s Law is designed to improve how organisations prepare for and respond to potential terrorist incidents.
While enforcement isn’t expected until spring 2027 following an implementation period, the message from government guidance is clear: now is the time to start preparing.
What is Martyn’s Law?
Martyn’s Law introduces a legal duty for certain venues and events to consider security risks and be ready to respond in the event of a terrorist attack.
The Manchester Arena Inquiry identified significant gaps in security preparedness, coordination, and counter-terrorism awareness.
A central lesson was that many venues lacked:
• Adequate threat awareness
• Clear security planning
• Staff preparedness
• Practical protective measures
Until now, much of this has been considered good practice rather than a specific legal duty.
Martyn’s Law aims to improve public safety by requiring certain premises and events to:
• Assess terrorism risks
• Implement proportionate security procedures
• Train staff
• Prepare response plans for potential attacks
The objective is to reduce harm by embedding counter-terrorism preparedness into everyday operations, similar to how health and safety responsibilities are already treated.
The legislation uses a tiered approach, depending on capacity:
Standard Tier (200–799 people)
Focused on simple, practical steps to improve awareness and response
Enhanced Tier (800+ people)
Requires more detailed security planning and measures to reduce vulnerability
This means a wide range of businesses could be affected — including hospitality venues, retail spaces, event sites, entertainment venues, and community buildings.
Does Martyn’s Law apply to your business?
A lot of organisations assume this won’t apply to them, but if you have any type of public-facing space, it’s worth checking your capacity and understanding the thresholds now.
If your business operates:
- Venues or premises open to the public
- Event spaces or functions
- Hospitality or leisure sites
- Retail environments or community buildings
…it’s important to assess whether you could fall within scope.
What should businesses be doing now?
Although the law isn’t enforceable yet, guidance encourages organisations to start preparing early to ensure a smooth transition.
1. Understand your exposure
- Determine whether your premises or events meet the 200+ capacity threshold
- Identify whether you fall into standard or enhanced tier
2. Assess your risks
- Carry out a terrorism vulnerability and risk assessment
- Consider how an incident could impact your premises, people, and operations
3. Review your plans
- Put in place clear, proportionate security and response procedures
- Ensure evacuation, lockdown, and communication plans are defined
4. Train your team
- Make sure staff know what to do in an emergency
- Focus on awareness, reporting, and response
5. Check your physical security
- Review measures such as CCTV, access control, and barriers
- For larger premises, consider whether additional controls are needed
6. Build accountability
- Assign responsibility internally for compliance
- Plan for ongoing reviews and updates, not just a one-off exercise
It’s not just about compliance
Martyn’s Law is often seen as another regulatory requirement, but that misses the bigger picture:
This isn’t just about ticking a box. It’s about protecting people, strengthening your resilience, and showing leadership as a business.
The aim of the legislation is to encourage proportionate, sensible measures, not unnecessary complexity or cost. In fact, for many smaller venues, the focus will be on simple, low-cost improvements that can make a real difference in an emergency.
Why acting early matters
With enforcement expected from 2027, it might feel like there’s plenty of time.
But effective preparation, particularly around training, planning, and cultural awareness, takes longer than most businesses expect.
Starting now allows you to:
- Spread any costs over time
- Embed good practices into day-to-day operations
- Avoid last-minute disruption when enforcement begins
Will your business be ready?
Martyn’s Law marks a significant shift in how organisations approach public safety in the UK.
The question isn’t just whether it applies to you, but whether you’ll be ready when it does.
If you’re unsure where to start, speaking to a specialist can help you understand your exposure and take practical next steps.
Hazelton Mountford works with businesses across a wide range of sectors to help manage risk and protect what matters most.
Get in touch with our team to start the conversation.