Events & Stewarding

Martyn's Law: What Venues and Guards Need to Do

11 min read· Updated 2026-07-07· Free · No signup

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act — Martyn's Law — establishes statutory protective security obligations for premises in scope. Every guard working at a venue in scope is affected in practice, whether they know it or not.

Key takeaways

Standard tier: 200–800 capacity, awareness and evacuation focus.
Enhanced tier: 800+ capacity, additional protective measures required.
Regulator has enforcement powers with financial penalties.
Guard-level training on evacuation, invacuation and lockdown is core.

Which tier is the venue in

Standard tier (200–800) requires published procedures, staff training, and public awareness. Enhanced tier (800+) adds risk assessment, protective measures and a documented plan.

The three responses

Evacuate (get out), invacuate (get in and shelter), lockdown (deny access). Staff must know which applies in each scenario and rehearse it.

Where guards fit

Frontline sensors, first responders on evacuation, communications relay, marshalling of the public. Guard-level training is non-optional in enhanced-tier venues.

Quick checklist

Know the venue's tier
Trained on evacuate, invacuate, lockdown
Regular exercises attended
Reporting route to security manager known

Common mistakes

Assuming Martyn's Law is 'just paperwork'.
Rehearsing on paper only, never in the venue.

Frequently asked questions

When does Martyn's Law take effect?+

Phased implementation with regulator guidance; check the latest Home Office and SIA guidance for your venue category.

Does it replace ACT Awareness?+

No — ACT Awareness training remains a strongly recommended baseline.

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