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The law, formally known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, will introduce new legal duties for venues to improve preparedness for a potential terrorist attack.
Named after Martyn Hett, who was killed in the Manchester Arena terror attack in 2017, the legislation will apply to certain publicly accessible venues, including pubs, bars and restaurants, that meet the required capacity thresholds.
Legislation outline
Under the legislation, premises expecting between 200 and 799 people at any one time will fall into the standard tier, while larger venues with capacities of 800 or more will be subject to enhanced requirements. Staff are included in occupancy calculations, meaning operators may need to consider busy trading periods, function rooms, beer gardens and major events when assessing whether they fall within scope.
For standard-tier venues, requirements are expected to focus on simple but effective procedures covering evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication in the event of an attack. Enhanced-tier premises will face additional obligations around security measures and documentation.
Licensing law firm Poppleston Allen is hosting a free 45-minute webinar for operators on 4 November with a former senior leader in UK Counter Terrorism Policing and now director of counter terrorism at Global Consortium Group Danni Grant and retail security professional and now director also at Global Consortium Group Helen Clayton.
Essential early planning
Ahead of the legislation implementation, Poppleston Allen urged operators to use the lead-in period to review their premises, training and procedures ahead of the legislation becoming enforceable.
Managing partner at the licensing firm, Graeme Cushion said: “With Martyn’s Law expected to come into force in spring 2027, the need for pubs to understand their obligations and prepare for the new requirements is becoming increasingly pressing, making early planning essential.”
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is expected to regulate the legislation and further guidance has already been published to help operators understand how the rules will apply in practice.
Operators have been encouraged to identify whether their venues fall within scope, establish who the responsible person will be and begin reviewing existing emergency procedures now.
