Is Your Venue Ready for Martyn's Law? A Practical Checklist for Hospitality Businesses

Published: 28 March 2026
Author: ComplianceAlert
Category: Security Compliance, UK Law, Hospitality
Target keywords: Martyn's Law venues, Protect Duty UK, Martyn's Law hospitality, venue security compliance UK, Martyn's Law checklist
Meta description: Martyn's Law received Royal Assent in April 2025. Enforcement begins April 2027. Here's what every UK hospitality venue needs to do now — a practical compliance checklist for pubs, restaurants, hotels and function rooms.
Internal links: /hospitality, /features, /pricing
Word count: ~950

---

Most hospitality operators are focused on April 2026 right now — and with good reason. The NLW increase, business rates shock, and Fair Work Agency launch are immediate priorities.

But there's a second compliance deadline building quietly in the background. One with an April 2027 enforcement date, a two-year preparation window, and almost no competing content online.

Martyn's Law.

If your venue has a capacity of 200 or more — a pub with a function room, a hotel with events space, a restaurant that hosts private parties — Martyn's Law applies to you. Here's what it is, what it requires, and what you should be doing right now.

---

What Is Martyn's Law?

Martyn's Law — formally the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 — received Royal Assent on April 3, 2025. It is named after Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena attack in May 2017.

The law creates a statutory duty for venues above a certain capacity to put counter-terrorism procedures in place. It is enforced by the Security Industry Authority (SIA).

There are two duty levels:

Standard Duty — venues with a capacity of 200 to 799 people Enhanced Duty — venues with a capacity of 800+ people

Enforcement begins April 2027, giving venues a 24-month preparation window from Royal Assent.

---

Who Does It Apply To?

Martyn's Law applies to a much wider range of venues than most people initially assume. In hospitality, this includes:

• Pubs and bars with function rooms, beer gardens, or large footprints
• Restaurants that host private dining, parties, or events
• Hotels with conference facilities, ballrooms, or event spaces
• Nightclubs and music venues (most will fall under Enhanced Duty)
• Food halls, markets, and festival venues
• Sports clubs with spectator facilities

The key test is maximum occupancy — not typical footfall. If your venue can hold 200 people at maximum capacity, even if you rarely operate at that level, Martyn's Law applies.

---

What Does Martyn's Law Require?

Standard Duty (200–799 capacity)

Venues at the standard duty level are required to:

1. Implement a public protection procedure A documented procedure for how staff respond in the event of a terrorist attack or other serious security incident. This includes evacuation routes, lockdown procedures, and communication protocols.

2. Train staff in the procedure All staff — not just management — must be trained in what to do. The training doesn't need to be elaborate, but it does need to be documented and repeated regularly.

3. Designate a responsible person Someone within the organisation must be accountable for Martyn's Law compliance. For most hospitality businesses, this will be the owner, general manager, or head of operations.

The standard duty is deliberately designed to be manageable without specialist security consultants. Think of it as an emergency procedures policy, similar to your fire evacuation plan, extended to cover terrorism scenarios.

Enhanced Duty (800+ capacity)

Venues at this level face additional requirements:

• Security document: A more comprehensive written plan that maps the venue, identifies vulnerabilities, and outlines counter-terrorism measures
• Dedicated security personnel: Depending on the nature of the venue, physical security presence may be required
• SIA oversight: Greater scrutiny and potential inspections from the Security Industry Authority

Large hotels, nightclubs, concert venues, and festival sites will typically fall into this category.

---

The 24-Month Window Is Open Now

This is the point most venue operators are missing.

Martyn's Law enforcement doesn't begin until April 2027. But the preparation window is now — and it matters.

Why you should start in 2026:

1. The SIA hasn't published implementation guidance yet. When they do — likely later in 2026 — there will be a scramble for training providers, security consultants, and document templates. Early movers won't be competing for resources.

2. Staff training takes time to embed. A procedure your staff learn in January 2027 isn't the same as one they've practiced since 2026. Genuine familiarity comes from repetition.

3. Your next refurbishment or fit-out is the time to address it. If you're planning any building work, layout changes, or new fit-outs before 2027, incorporating Martyn's Law considerations now is far cheaper than retrofitting later.

4. You may already partially comply. Many venues have fire evacuation procedures, lone worker policies, and incident response documents. These are a foundation. Martyn's Law builds on them, not from scratch.

---

Your Martyn's Law Checklist — What to Do Now

Step 1: Confirm your capacity Calculate your maximum occupancy under fire safety rules — this is your Martyn's Law duty threshold. If it's above 200, you're in scope. If it's above 800, you're on the enhanced duty.

Step 2: Designate a responsible person Name the person accountable for compliance. Document this.

Step 3: Map your public protection procedure Draft the basics:

• What happens if there's an incident while the venue is open?
• How does the alarm get raised?
• What are the evacuation routes?
• Is there a lockdown option, and when is it used?
• Who calls 999, and who is responsible for communicating with customers?

Step 4: Check your fire and emergency procedures Your existing fire procedures are a good starting point. Review them and identify the gaps between "fire evacuation" and "active threat response."

Step 5: Identify training requirements How many staff need training? What format — in-house briefing, online module, or external provider? The SIA will publish guidance on training standards; watch for that in 2026.

Step 6: Monitor SIA guidance The Security Industry Authority is the regulator for Martyn's Law. When they publish implementation guidance — likely Q3/Q4 2026 — it will define exactly what the SIA considers compliant. That guidance is worth knowing about the moment it drops.

---

How ComplianceAlert Helps

ComplianceAlert will notify you the moment the SIA publishes Martyn's Law implementation guidance. You won't need to monitor the SIA website, search for updates, or wait for a trade body newsletter to mention it.

We also cover every other regulatory change affecting hospitality — HSE enforcement, food safety, employment law, licensing — in one place, for £19/month.

Start your 7-day free trial → compliancealert.co.uk

---

Martyn's Law: Key Facts

	Standard Duty	Enhanced Duty
Capacity	200–799	800+
Key requirement	Public protection procedure + staff training	Full security document + SIA oversight
Regulator	Security Industry Authority (SIA)	Security Industry Authority (SIA)
Enforcement from	April 2027	April 2027
Prep window	Open now	Open now

---

ComplianceAlert monitors UK regulatory changes for hospitality businesses. When the SIA publishes Martyn's Law implementation guidance, you'll be first to know. Start free → compliancealert.co.uk

Related: Hospitality compliance hub | Features | Pricing