Martyn’s Law: what it means for property, venue, and operations leaders
What is Martyn’s Law and why does it matter to my venue or property portfolio?
Martyn’s Law, officially the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, is a UK law that introduces new requirements for owners and operators of publicly accessible venues to enhance security against the threat of terrorism. Its purpose is clear: to ensure that those responsible for publicly accessible locations take proportionate and consistent measures to protect the public from the risk of terrorism.
If you’re a Property Director, Operations Director, or anyone responsible for large or complex venues - such as shopping centres, arenas, stadiums, campuses, or transport hubs - this law will likely affect you.
Who does Martyn’s Law apply to?
Martyn’s Law introduces a two-tiered system based on venue capacity:
Standard Tier: Publicly accessible premises with a capacity of 200–799 people
Enhanced Tier: Premises and events with a capacity of 800+ people
The law applies to venues used for entertainment, leisure, retail, hospitality, worship, education, healthcare, and transport hubs – among others.
If you own or operate a space where the public gathers, there’s a strong chance this law affects you.
Larger venues (those with a capacity of 800+) will face enhanced duties, including the need for:
Formal risk assessments
Detailed security plans
Training and drills
A named senior officer responsible for compliance
When will Martyn’s Law come into effect?
The need for venues to be compliant with Martyn's Law will commence approximately 24 months after it received Royal Assent in April 2025. This implementation period will likely therefore extend to April 2027.
What does ‘proportionate security’ actually mean?
This is a key question for many. Martyn’s Law is designed to be scalable. That means smaller venues won’t be held to the same standard as a 50,000-seat stadium. But proportionate doesn't mean minimal. Even the "standard tier" will require:
Completion of a terrorism evaluation form
Staff awareness training
Basic incident response planning
The enhanced tier (for larger venues) involves far more rigour, and this is where strategic planning becomes essential.
What should I be doing now to prepare for Martyn’s Law?
Many senior leaders in the property and venue industry are asking:
How do I assess my current level of preparedness?
What gaps exist in our organisational structure or training?
Who in my team should be responsible for this?
What does good look like when it comes to a terrorism risk plan?
The answers will differ depending on your context, but there are universal principles:
Start with a thorough assessment – not just of your physical environment but of your people, processes, and culture.
Engage with multidisciplinary expertise – safety, security, facilities, HR, legal, and comms all have a part to play.
Plan for the unthinkable – how fast can your teams respond, and how well will they coordinate?
How Egremont Group can help
At Egremont Group, we partner with organisations with scale, complexity, and responsibility – those with a duty to safeguard thousands of people every day. We don’t provide physical security hardware or counterterrorism services. What we do is help you:
Design and implement organisation-wide readiness strategies
Structure governance so roles and responsibilities are clear
Embed training and behaviours that stick
Align your response plans with your culture and operational model
Our experience in high-risk environments (including aviation, transport, and critical infrastructure) means we understand what it takes to prepare large organisations for complex threats – practically, culturally, and sustainably.
Find out more about preparing for Martyn’s Law
If you’re navigating the unknowns of Martyn’s Law and want a partner to help you make sense of what’s required - and how to deliver it – we’re here to help.
Contact us for a confidential conversation about your organisation’s readiness