Martyn's Law

Martyn’s Law encourages public spaces to assess security risks and adopt sensible, practical precautions. It applies to venues, events, and locations where people gather—such as town halls, community centres, parks, and markets.

While the likelihood of a security threat in smaller towns and villages may be low, taking steps to improve awareness and preparedness can make a significant difference. Martyn’s Law promotes a proactive approach to safety, ensuring communities have clear plans in place should the unexpected happen. Importantly, the Act is not intended to add unnecessary burden or require the installation of costly equipment; its focus is on sensible, practical measures that enhance public protection.

For more information, please download the Martyn's Law Guide . 

Types of Venues Parish and Town Councils Manage that may be Affected How Could Martyn’s Law Affect Parish and Town Councils? Steps Parish and Town Councils Can Take Now Appropriate and Reasonably Practicable (Standard and Enhanced) Effective Procedures and Measure Responsible Person

Types of Venues Parish and Town Councils Manage that may be Affected

Parish and town councils are responsible for a variety of public spaces that may need to comply with Martyn’s Law. These include:

  • Town and village halls: Frequently used for meetings, events, and community gatherings.

  • Community centres: Venues that regularly host activities and events open to the public.

  • Parks and open spaces: Locations for festivals, fairs, and other large-scale outdoor occasions.

  • Markets: Such as farmers’ markets, seasonal fairs, and Christmas markets.

  • Sports and leisure facilities: Including playing fields, sports halls, and public gyms.

  • Libraries: Centres for learning and community engagement, welcoming regular visitors.

  • Public squares and local landmarks: Spaces used for celebrations, vigils, and public gatherings.

How Could Martyn’s Law Affect Parish and Town Councils?

If your parish or town council operates venues or organises events that meet the relevant capacity thresholds, you may need to introduce some additional planning and measures. These could include:

  • Conducting risk assessments to identify potential security concerns.

  • Providing security awareness training for staff and volunteers.

  • Developing clear emergency response plans to ensure readiness.

  • Collaborating with local authorities and emergency services for guidance.

  • Installing practical security measures where appropriate, such as CCTV or bag checks for larger events.

Steps Parish and Town Councils Can Take Now

Although Martyn’s Law is still in the early stages of implementation, councils can begin preparing by:

  • Reviewing venues and events: Identify which spaces may be covered by the law.

  • Raising awareness: Ensure council staff, event organisers, and volunteers understand basic security considerations.

  • Engaging with local authorities: Seek advice from police and security professionals.

  • Developing contingency plans: Create clear procedures for handling security-related situations.

  • Staying informed: Keep up to date with official guidance to ensure compliance when the law is fully enacted.

Must be compliant by April 2027

Appropriate and Reasonably Practicable (Standard and Enhanced)

The term “reasonably practicable” is used in other areas such as Fire Safety and Health and Safety legislation. When deciding what is reasonably practicable, the responsible person must consider their specific circumstances, including the nature of the premises and the resources available to them.

It’s important to emphasise that Martyn’s Law is not designed to create unnecessary burden or require significant additional expenditure. What is appropriate and reasonably practicable will vary from one location to another, and procedures that suit one premises may not be suitable or practical for another. Each site should be assessed  individually, with the focus on sensible, cost-effective measures rather than expensive equipment or complex requirements.

Effective Procedures and Measure

Procedures and measures should be communicated to all those who need to be aware of them, i.e. the people who must implement them effectively in response to a suspected incident. This may include employees, volunteers and contractors as well as those hiring premises.

Responsible Person

The responsible person for qualifying premises

For qualifying premises, the responsible person is the person who has control of the premises in connection with their Schedule 1 use.

The categories of use set out in Schedule 1 to the Act are:

  • shops etc

  • food and drink

  • entertainment and leisure activities

  • sports grounds

  • libraries, museums and galleries

  • halls etc

  • visitor attractions

  • hotels etc

  • places of Worship

  • health care

  • bus stations, railway stations etc

  • aerodromes

  • childcare

  • primary and secondary education

  • further education

  • higher education

  • public authorities

Parks, gardens, recreation grounds, sports grounds and other open-air premises used for recreation, or leisure are generally excluded from the Act’s provisions. However, this exclusion only applies where they are generally open access. If such premises have measures in place to secure or check that access is restricted, they would not be excluded premises and may be within scope of the Bill. This includes where a payment is made, a ticket or pass is issued, or where individuals are members or guests of a club, association or similar body to gain access (e.g. a members access only tennis club).
(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-factsheets/terrorism-protection-of-premises-act-2025-scope-premises)

Standard Tier

Standard duty premises must have appropriate public protection procedures in place, as far as reasonably practicable, to reduce the risk of physical harm in the event of a terrorist incident on or near the site. Responsible persons are required to notify the Security Industry Authority (SIA) when they take on or relinquish responsibility for the premises, providing the information set out in regulations. They must also ensure that proportionate procedures are established for evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, and communication—covering how people will be safely moved out of the premises, brought to safer areas within it, protected through securing the building, and alerted or instructed during an incident.

Enhanced Tier

Enhanced duty premises and qualifying events must meet all standard‑tier obligations while also adopting additional public protection measures to reflect the potentially greater consequences of a successful attack. Responsible persons must ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that tailored measures are in place to reduce both vulnerability to terrorism and the risk of physical harm, and—where the responsible body is not an individual—must designate a senior individual accountable for oversight. Measures may include monitoring (such as CCTV and suspicious‑activity reporting), movement control (like screening and barriers), physical security enhancements, and information security restrictions. Those responsible must also maintain an up‑to‑date document outlining the procedures and measures in place and explaining how they reduce vulnerabilities and harm, providing sufficient detail for the SIA to assess compliance, with the document submitted on first preparation and within 30 days of any update.