Comprehensive guide to Martyn’s Law for stadiums and event venues

What is Martyn’s Law?

Martyn’s Law, previously known as Protect Duty and also referred to as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, requires certain UK public venues to implement security measures to protect people from terrorist attacks. The latest update to Martyn’s Law came on April 3, 2025, when it gained royal assent and became law.

Martyn’s Law helps ensure that venue operators and event organizers take reasonable steps to safeguard the public, including, but not limited to, undertaking and implementing risk assessments, training, physical security and incident response plans. It creates a legal framework that establishes a consistent and comprehensive approach to security across UK public venues, potentially saving lives and making public spaces safer.

Martyn’s Law requirements

The requirements for Martyn’s Law, previously known as the Protect Duty legislation, include certain UK public venues registering with the regulator, the Security Industry Authority (SIA), and undertaking proportionate steps. It helps minimize the impact of any terrorist incident by ensuring venue staff have the skills and knowledge to protect themselves and the public. 

As the Martyn’s Law fact sheet states, the steps an organization must take depend on the venue’s or event’s capacity. A tiered approach is established for this:

• Standard tier: For standard duty premises with a capacity of 200 to 799 people (including staff), Martyn’s Law requires organizations to notify the SIA of their premises and engage with counterterrorism advice and training, raise awareness, implement preparedness plans and share information with staff. The requirements for premises in the standard tier focus on low-cost, effective actions to reduce harm to the public in the event of an attack and do not require them to alter the premises or purchase equipment.
• Enhanced tier: For enhanced duty premises and public events with a capacity of 800 or more people (including staff), the Act requires them to follow the same requirements as standard duty premises. Additionally, they must perform detailed risk assessments, design security plans and implement physical security measures, such as video security. These larger venues and events must have additional public protection measures compared to venues in the standard tier. For example, enhanced tier sites will be required to have measures relating to observing the premises and their immediate vicinity. They will also need to appoint a designated senior officer responsible for these duties and document their compliance with the Act and share this with the regulator.

Martyn’s Law does not apply to premises with a capacity of 199 or fewer people. 

The importance of Martyn’s Law

Since 2017, the UK’s Counter Terrorism Policing team states that there have been 15 terror attacks in the UK, with agencies and law enforcement helping to disrupt 43 late-stage plots. With terrorists attacking a broad range of locations and being unpredictable, legislation was needed to require certain UK venues and event sites to be better prepared. 

Martyn’s Law is important because it helps ensure public premises and events are ready to respond and protect the public during a terrorist attack. It requires them to take reasonably practicable actions to maintain a consistent security approach, minimize the impact of an attack and reduce physical harm.

Who is impacted by Martyn’s Law?

Martyn’s Law impacts any place where public events are held in the UK. This includes but is not limited to:

• Concert halls
• Outdoor event spaces
• Museums
• Stadiums
• Food and drink establishments
• Nightclubs
• Holiday parks

In the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, premises that satisfy the following four criteria will fall within its scope:

• There is at least one building (or the premises are in a building).
• The premises are wholly or mainly used for one or more of the uses specified at Schedule 1 to the Act, e.g., a restaurant or a shop.
• It is reasonable to expect that at least 200 individuals may be present.
• The premises are not excluded under Schedule 2 to the Act. 

Events that satisfy the following four criteria fall within the scope of an enhanced duty premises in the Protection of Premises Act:

• It will take place at premises within section 3(1)(a) of the Act, including land without buildings, that are not enhanced duty premises (or part of enhanced duty premises).
• The relevant premises are accessible to members of the public for the event.
• It is reasonable to expect that at least 800 individuals will be present for the event at once at some point during it.
• There will be measures to check that entry conditions are met, such as a ticket check.
• The event is not excluded under Schedule 2 to the Act. 

Who is responsible for compliance?

Responsibility for qualifying premises belongs to the person who has control of the premises in connection with their relevant Schedule 1. For qualifying events, responsibility belongs to the person who has control of the premises where the event will be held. The circumstances of the event must be taken into account to determine responsibility. 

Prioritizing risk evaluations, conducting physical security assessments and training staff to ensure compliance with Martyn’s Law will help to avoid penalties, such as fines and restriction notices, and potential reputational harm.

How organizations can prepare for Martyn’s Law

Having become law on April 3, 2025, the latest Martyn’s Law update is that a 24-month implementation period has begun to allow organizations and businesses time to take the necessary steps to ensure they comply with Martyn’s Law:

1. Conduct a security risk assessment

To start preparations for complying with Martyn’s law, you should conduct a comprehensive security risk assessment for each event your venue hosts. This crucial step helps you identify vulnerabilities and potential threats that could arise before, during and after the event.

2. Implement security measures

Once you’ve identified the vulnerabilities and potential threat scenarios during your security risk assessment, it’s important to introduce applicable measures to help strengthen your security posture and mitigate those risks. This can include using metal detectors and scanners, bag checks, video security, access control and more. It’s crucial to choose the correct security technology for stadiums to comply, otherwise, you may not be able to combat threats and sufficiently address existing vulnerabilities.

3. Develop emergency response plans

In addition to implementing relevant security technologies and measures, developing thorough emergency response plans is necessary to help ensure that correct procedures are followed should a threat appear. This involves assigning roles to staff members, outlining responsibilities and rehearsing responses.

4. Train your staff

To help improve security and comply with Martyn’s Law, training staff is vital. Well-trained staff can recognize potential threats, such as loitering and other suspicious behavior, respond accordingly and help protect their safety and the safety of colleagues and the public. 

5. Establish communication channels

Communication and information sharing are fundamental to coordinating an effective emergency response. You should establish effective communication channels with local authorities, such as law enforcement and emergency services, and your staff. Encouraging a culture of security at your workplace will help ensure that any concerns can be raised and reported.

Complying with Martyn’s Law using Avigilon

Whether a small venue hosts a few dozen people or large stadiums with crowds of tens of thousands, keeping them safe isn’t easy. As part of the growing Motorola Solutions safety and security ecosystem, Avigilon’s complete video security and access control technologies empower you with 24/7 visibility, awareness and control to help ensure people’s safety and the ability to respond to events quickly.

More than security cameras, Avigilon integrates a full suite of powerful security solutions that connect video, access control, intrusion detection, sensors and third-party systems to extend across your entire premises. This helps establish effective threat detection, emergency response and collaboration as you can use the connected ecosystem of AI-enabled security products to find what you’re looking for, faster and with greater accuracy, creating a safer environment for spectators, staff, performers and athletes.

Conclusion

Venues and event spaces must prioritize risk assessments, security training and emergency response planning to comply with Martyn’s Law.

By taking a proactive approach during the 24-month implementation period, organizations and businesses with facilities that fall into one of the two tiers can best prepare and adapt to the new requirements, avoid penalties and host events as planned. Venues and event spaces that fall into the Enhanced tier must evaluate their current physical security setup to ensure it’s suitable for the requirements of Martyn’s Law and capable of securing and safeguarding the public and staff.