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The government has published official guidance for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, known as Martyn’s Law, to assist businesses, including restaurants, hotels and shops in preparing for new security obligations.
The legislation is named in tribute to Martyn Hett, one of the 22 victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena attack.
The act applies to premises and events based on capacity. Small venues, including restaurants and cafes with a capacity of 200 to 799 people, must ensure evacuation and lockdown procedures are in place and that staff are trained to communicate with customers during an incident.
Larger venues and stadiums with a capacity of 800 or more will be required to implement enhanced measures.
These include formalised CCTV monitoring, bag search policies, and vehicle checks where appropriate.
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) will serve as the independent regulator, with a 24-month implementation period provided from Royal Assent for businesses to comply.
The guidance includes specific case studies for the hospitality sector, such as a 400-seater restaurant.
For such venues, compliance involves documenting evacuation routes, identifying evacuation areas, and providing staff with counter-terrorism awareness briefings during induction.
Dan Jarvis, security minister, said: “Martyn’s Law will help to save lives by making sure venues are ready to act if the worst happens. Today’s guidance is a significant step toward turning the law into action, giving organisations clear, straightforward advice.”
Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, added: “The release of the guidance marks an important step forward in strengthening the safety and resilience of public spaces. It provides a clear and proportionate framework to help venues better prepare.”
Bob Eastwood, head of security and safety operations at the English Football League, concluded: “We support this new guidance, which will play an important role in preparing clubs and other organisations for compliance. We believe the guidance to be proportionate and deliverable.”
