Protect your premises against Terrorism
Martyn’s Law (Protect Duty) Update April 2025
On 22nd May 2017 a terrorist attack on the Manchester Arena killed 22 people and seriously injured many more.
The subsequent public enquiry identified shortcomings in relation to the legal responsibilities of organisers of events to provide for public safety, notably from terrorism.
After a campaign led by Figen Murray, the mother of one of the victims, the government published the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Draft Bill in May 2023. It is also known as Martyn’s law. This received Royal Assent on Thursday 3rd April 2025.
The Act is intended to ensure public premises and events are better prepared for, and protected from, terrorist attacks; requiring them to fulfil necessary but proportionate steps according to their capacity size to mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack and reduce harm.
The Government intends for there to be an implementation period of at least 24 months before the Act comes into force. This will ensure those responsible for premises and events in scope have sufficient time to understand their new obligations. This will enable them to plan and prepare appropriately.
Affected organisations
The Act establishes a tiered approach, linked to the number of individuals it is reasonable to expect may be present at the same time at premises and events.
The Act will apply to ‘qualifying premises’ which are publicly accessible locations with a capacity of 200 or more e.g.
- Shops
- Restaurants
- Nightclubs (inc. social club/dancehalls)
- Entertainment activities
- Sports grounds
- Recreation, exercise or leisure
- Libraries, museums and galleries etc.
- Exhibition halls etc.
- Visitor attractions
- Hotels etc.
- Hospitals and healthcare
- Bus stations, railway stations etc.
- Schools, universities and colleges
It will also apply to events e.g. music festivals, with a capacity of more than 800. Access to the event must be by express permission which implies there will be some form of boundary to it.
The Act requires individuals with responsibility for coordination and control of activity in relation to it to be identified.
| Standard Tier - for qualifying premises with a capacity of 200-799 |
- Will be required to provide terrorism protection training to relevant workers. Likely to be in line with existing government ACT e-learning.
- Will also be required to conduct an evaluation of their risk and vulnerability to terrorism.
The government is currently conducting further consultation on requirements for the standard tier to ensure a proportionate and deliverable balance of requirements is set.
| Enhanced Tier - for qualifying premises with a capacity of 800+ |
Relevant workers must be provided with terrorism protection training in relation to the premises or event.
A Terrorism Risk Assessment must be conducted to include:
- The types of acts of terrorism that are most likely to occur
- The reasonably practicable measures that might be expected to reduce the risk of acts of terrorism
- The reasonably practicable measures that might be expected to reduce the risk of physical harm to individuals
- Any other matters specified in regulations
- It will apply to inside and the immediate vicinity of, the premises or event
The person responsible for the premises or event must also ensure that all reasonably practicable measures are put in place in relation to the premises or event to reduce:
- The risk of acts of terrorism occurring
- The risk of physical harm to individuals
