Preparing for Martyn's Law: what event organisers should know

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, widely known as Martyn's Law, received Royal Assent in 2025. It is not yet in force.

That means the specific legal requirements aren't active yet. But event organisers and venues should be looking at the legislation now, because when it comes into force, qualifying premises and events will need to meet preparedness standards.

What is Martyn's Law?

Martyn's Law is named after Martyn Hett, who was killed in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing. The legislation aims to improve the preparedness of premises and events against terrorist threats.

The Act introduces a tiered framework based on the capacity of the premises or event. Different tiers carry different requirements.

Who is in scope?

The legislation covers qualifying premises and events above certain capacity thresholds. The exact scope and thresholds are set out in the Act and will be clarified through government guidance and secondary legislation.

If you run a venue, organise events, or manage premises that could fall within scope, you should use current government guidance to understand whether you're likely to be affected.

What might be required?

The requirements vary by tier but are likely to include elements such as:

• **Risk assessment** — understanding the terrorism risk relevant to your premises or event
• **Preparedness planning** — having procedures in place to respond to a threat
• **Training** — ensuring staff understand what to do
• **Information sharing** — cooperating with local authorities and other relevant bodies

The detail of what's required at each tier will be set out in government guidance. Don't rely on summaries — read the official guidance when it's published.

What should event organisers do now?

You don't need to wait for the legislation to be in force to start preparing. Sensible steps include:

• Reviewing your current event security plans and risk assessments
• Making sure you understand the capacity of your venues and events
• Discussing terrorism preparedness with your security provider
• Keeping up to date with government guidance as it's published

What Guard Secure can and can't do

Guard Secure provides physical security personnel for events and venues. We can work alongside organisers to support security planning, risk assessment and on-the-day security operations.

We are not lawyers. We are not your licensing authority. We cannot certify that your event is "Martyn's Law compliant" — there is no such simple certification. We cannot guarantee legal compliance.

What we can do is provide professional security personnel who understand event operations and can work with you on the security elements of your preparedness planning.

The key point

Martyn's Law is coming. Event organisers and venues should be looking at it now, using current government guidance, and building preparedness into their event planning — rather than waiting for the legislation to be in force and then rushing to catch up.

This article is educational content, not legal advice. For specific legal obligations, consult a qualified legal professional and current government guidance.