Progress for ‘Martyn’s Law’

The Institute of Event Management is following with interest the progress of The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, also known as ‘Martyn’s Law’ in honour of Martyn Hett, a victim of the Manchester Arena attack in 2017.

The Bill, which will introduce new safety responsibilities for UK venues and public event spaces, has progressed through its second reading in the House of Lords where it received cross-party support. The Bill will next undergo scrutiny at the Committee stage.

The Bill establishes a tiered approach, based on the venue, the activity or the event, and the number of attendees. Large venues or events with a capacity of more than 800 people will be expected to meet comprehensive security obligations. Martyn’s Law will also apply to the 150,000-plus premises with a capacity of 200 to 800 people. These smaller venues will be required to implement practical and straightforward security measures.

Research last year found that 43 per cent of UK venues were unsure how to prepare for ‘Martyn’s Law’. In response, the Home Office has published a factsheet which is available here and will be regularly updated.

Image by Drazen Zigic on Freepik