Venue owners have two years to tighten up safety as Martyn’s Law passes Royal Assent

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, also known as Martyn's Law, was named after Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people killed in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing attack.

Under the new law, employers, venue owners and event organisers will have a legal duty to invest in infrastructure and build strong relationships with neighbouring businesses and emergency services.

The government has said there will be an implementation period of at least two years before the Act comes into force, to allow businesses to prepare.

Tributes to the Manchester Bombing victims. Photograph: Talk Photography / Flickr

A new regulator will be established through the Security Industry Authority (SIA) to ensure compliance.

The government have produced a fact sheet with more details after the Bill was given Royal Ascent yesterday, 3 April.

Last year, the Meetings Industry Association found that 43 per cent of venues said they were unsure if their organisation was prepared for the introduction of the law.

Gavin Scarr-Hall, director at health and safety services group, Peninsula, urged businesses to prepare in light of their new duties now come into law. “This bill is designed to clarify responsibilities to help prevent another tragedy like the one we saw in Manchester in 2017,” he said.

“Almost eight years have passed since the attack, but the threat to the public remains high. The UK’s national threat level currently stands at ‘substantial’, meaning an attack is likely to happen.

“The government has said there will be an implementation period of at least 24 months before the Act comes into force, to allow businesses to prepare. A new regulator will be established through the Security Industry Authority (SIA) to ensure compliance.

“Businesses should understand where they sit within the tier system in order to understand their specific responsibilities. The higher the capacity at a venue, the more enhanced the requirements will be. Not every business will be required to adhere to all the requirements, but every employer should carry out a terrorism evaluation to understand their duties under the new law.”

Mike Kill CEO of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) commented: “The passing of Martyn’s Law into legislation is a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to public safety. This law will ensure that venues and events across the UK take appropriate and proportionate steps to protect the public from the evolving threat of terrorism. The NTIA has long supported measures that enhance security while remaining practical for businesses to implement.”

Landmark anti-terror legislation gains Royal Assent. Read the government's announcement here