Martyn's Law: what door supervisors and venue staff need to know

Published 5 November 2026

Martyn’s Law is the name most people use for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. It’s named in tribute to Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people killed in the Manchester Arena attack. If you work the door at a pub, club, venue or event, it will shape how your workplace prepares for a terrorist attack.

When does it start?

The law isn’t in force yet. The SIA says it is expected to come into force in spring 2027, and it will confirm the exact date beforehand. Until then, nothing is legally required, but venues are already preparing.

Who regulates it?

The Act makes the Security Industry Authority (SIA) the regulator of Martyn’s Law. That’s the same body that issues your licence, although here it regulates premises and events, not individual operatives. The SIA says its approach will include desk-based assessments and on-site inspections, usually with at least 72 hours’ notice.

Which venues are covered?

Under the Act, it depends mainly on how many people can reasonably be expected at the busiest times, including staff:

• Standard tier: premises where 200 to 799 people may be present at the same time
• Enhanced tier: premises where 800 or more people may be present at the same time
• Qualifying events: public events with entry checks where 800 or more people are expected

There are exceptions. For example, schools, childcare settings and places of worship stay in the standard tier even above 800. The Home Office guidance and ProtectUK flowcharts help venues check where they sit.

What do venues have to do?

Standard tier premises must tell the SIA who the responsible person is, and have, so far as reasonably practicable, procedures for:

• evacuation, getting people out
• invacuation, moving people to a safer place inside
• lockdown, stopping people getting in or out
• communication, keeping people informed

Enhanced tier premises and qualifying events have extra duties on top, including public protection measures.

It’s about procedures, not a certificate

You might see adverts for a “Martyn’s Law certificate”. The Act doesn’t create a new licence or qualification for door supervisors. What it asks for is that venues have the right procedures in place, and that staff know them and can carry them out.

For door staff, that means knowing your venue’s evacuation, invacuation and lockdown plans, where the exits and safe areas are, and how to report. The free ACT e-learning and the new Guide Shelter Report guidance from ProtectUK are a good place to start. (We’ve written about ACT Awareness and Guide Shelter Report too.)

Door Supervisor training in Bootle, north Liverpool

Our training centre is at St Mary’s Complex, Waverley Street, Bootle L20 4AP, in north Liverpool. By train, take a Merseyrail Northern Line train towards Southport to Bootle New Strand, about an 8-minute walk from us, or Bootle Oriel Road, about a 12-minute walk. There’s free on-site parking if you drive. Our Door Supervisor course and Door Supervisor refresher both include counter-terrorism content, as required by the SIA.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Understanding Martyn’s Law and the SIA’s role as regulator (17 July 2026)
• ProtectUK: Martyn’s Law guidance
• ProtectUK: Guide Shelter Report

Martyn’s Law is not yet in force. Dates and details come from SIA guidance published in July 2026, and we’ll update this post when the commencement date is confirmed.