The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, better known as Martyn's Law, is now on the statute books. Named after Martyn Hett, one of the 22 victims of the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017, the legislation introduces mandatory security requirements for venues and events across the UK for the first time.
If your organisation operates a venue, manages large events, or provides security, emergency response, or facilities management for qualifying premises, this law applies to you and the compliance clock is running.
What is Martyn's Law?
Martyn's Law is UK legislation that requires venue operators and event organisers above certain capacity thresholds to have formal plans in place for responding to a terrorist attack or other security incident. It introduces two tiers of obligation: standard duty and enhanced duty, with different requirements depending on the size of the venue.
The law received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. Implementation is expected to begin in Spring 2027, once the Security Industry Authority (SIA) has established its regulatory framework.
Which venues are affected by Martyn's Law?
The law applies to two categories of qualifying premises:
Standard duty premises: Venues where 200 to 799 individuals (including staff) may be reasonably expected to be present at the same time. This includes smaller concert venues, theatres, places of worship, sports facilities, and hospitality venues.
Enhanced duty premises: Venues where 800 or more individuals (including staff) may be reasonably expected to be present at the same time. This covers large arenas, stadiums, shopping centres, large hotels, transport hubs, and public spaces used for events.
The count includes staff, not just visitors or audience members, which means some venues will be in scope at higher numbers than operators initially expect.
Certain premises are excluded, including private dwellings and transport infrastructure already subject to separate security legislation (such as airports, national rail, and port facilities). Open-access parks and recreation grounds are generally also excluded. Places of worship are not excluded: they are in scope but are automatically treated as standard duty premises regardless of capacity. Temporary structures may be in scope if the premises also include a permanent building.
What does enhanced duty require?
Enhanced duty premises face the most substantial obligations under the Act. Requirements include:
* A documented counter-terrorism security plan, reviewed regularly
* A designated Senior Responsible Person (SRP) accountable for compliance
* Training for staff on recognising and responding to terrorist threats
* Public protection procedures that can be activated immediately in an attack
* The ability to alert and communicate with all people on the premises rapidly
That last point is where mass notification technology becomes critical. Enhanced duty premises must be able to reach large numbers of people across a venue, across multiple zones in real time, with different instructions depending on the nature of the threat.
What does standard duty require?
Standard duty premises have lighter requirements, focused on staff training and documented procedures rather than full counter-terrorism plans. They must still be able to demonstrate that staff know what to do during an attack and that the venue has taken reasonable steps to reduce harm.
Even at the standard duty level, being able to communicate with staff and guests quickly, whether through PA systems, SMS, or an integrated alerting platform, will be evidence of reasonable preparation.
What counts as a qualifying event for Martyn's Law?
The Act applies not just to permanent venues but also to events held at locations where attendance is expected to meet the relevant threshold. Festivals, outdoor concerts, sporting events, and large public gatherings may all trigger enhanced duty obligations even if the underlying site is not permanently licensed at that capacity.
Organisers of one-off or recurring events should take legal advice on whether their specific setup qualifies, particularly where crowd numbers fluctuate across the event programme.
How does mass notification help venues comply with Martyn's Law?
Enhanced duty premises must be able to communicate with people on site rapidly and clearly during a security incident. A mass notification platform provides exactly that capability.
AtlasNXT enables venue operators to:
* Send simultaneous alerts across SMS, app push, email, and PA integration
* Segment messaging by zone, with different instructions for different areas of a large venue
* Trigger pre-written lockdown, evacuation, or shelter-in-place messages in seconds
* Log all communications with timestamps for post-incident review and regulatory compliance
* Give security staff a single interface to manage communications
Where previously venue operators relied on manual PA systems or staff radio, Martyn's Law pushes the standard toward coordinated, documented, and scalable alert infrastructure.
When does Martyn's Law come into force?
The Act received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. The SIA is currently building the regulatory framework, including registration requirements and inspection regimes. All qualifying premises, both standard and enhanced duty, have an implementation period of at least 24 months from Royal Assent, meaning Spring 2027 is the working commencement date.
What happens if a venue fails to comply with Martyn's Law?
Non-compliance is a criminal offence. The SIA will have powers to issue compliance notices, impose financial penalties, and restrict premises from operating. The senior individual designated under the Act can face personal prosecution if their organisation's non-compliance occurred with their consent, connivance, or as a result of their neglect.
The reputational consequences of being found non-compliant are significant, particularly for venues that host public events or operate in the leisure, entertainment, or hospitality sectors.
What should venue operators do now?
Start with an honest gap analysis against the relevant tier requirements. Most venues will find gaps in three areas: documented procedures, staff training, and communication infrastructure.
For the communication gap specifically, the time to evaluate, procure, and integrate a mass notification system is now. When the law comes into force, you will need to notify the SIA and demonstrate compliance from day one.
AtlasNXT works with venue operators, event security teams, and facilities managers across the UK to deploy mass notification capability quickly and without complexity. If you need to understand what a compliant communication system looks like for your venue, get in touch.
