Martyn's Law Standard Tier: Requirements for 200-799 Capacity Venues

What the Standard Tier Covers

The standard tier of Martyn's Law applies to qualifying premises with a maximum capacity of 200 to 799 people. This captures a huge range of venues across the UK: mid-sized hotels, theatres, large restaurants, community centres, places of worship, schools, smaller shopping centres, and many more.

The standard tier is designed to be achievable. The government has been clear that it does not want to place unreasonable burdens on smaller venues. The requirements focus on awareness, planning, and basic preparedness rather than expensive infrastructure or dedicated security teams.

Who Counts Towards Capacity

Capacity means the maximum number of individuals who may be present on the premises at the same time. That includes customers, staff, contractors, performers, delivery drivers on site, and anyone else physically in the building. If your venue has a licensed capacity, that figure is a good starting point. If not, you need to calculate it based on floor space and fire safety assessments.

A common question: what if you never actually reach 200? The Act is based on capacity, not average attendance. If your premises could hold 250 people, you are in scope even if you typically have 80.

The Core Requirement: Public Protection Procedures

Standard tier venues must put in place "public protection procedures." These are documented, practical steps that:

• Reduce the vulnerability of the premises to acts of terrorism
• Ensure that if an attack does occur, the response reduces harm as much as possible

In practical terms, this means having written procedures for:

• Evacuation: How to get everyone out safely. Routes, assembly points, communication methods, and who is responsible for what.
• Invacuation: In some scenarios, keeping people inside is safer than sending them out. Your procedures should cover this.
• Lockdown: If there is an active threat inside or immediately outside, how do you secure the premises and protect the people in it?
• Communication: How do you alert staff? How do you contact emergency services? How do you communicate with the public during an incident?

Notifying the SIA

Standard tier venues must notify the Security Industry Authority that their premises is in scope. This is a registration process, not an application for approval. You are telling the SIA that you exist, that you are in scope, and who your responsible person is.

The SIA will publish guidance on the notification process during the implementation period. Keep an eye on their website for updates as enforcement approaches.

Staff Training

There is no point having procedures if your staff do not know about them. The Act requires that staff are trained so they understand the procedures and can carry them out. This does not mean sending everyone on a three-day course. It means practical, relevant training during induction and regular refreshers.

At minimum, every staff member should know: what to do if they hear an alarm or receive an evacuation instruction, who to report suspicious activity to, and where the exits and assembly points are. Front-of-house staff should also be aware of basic indicators of hostile reconnaissance and suspicious behaviour.

What You Do Not Need to Do

The standard tier does not require you to:

• Conduct a formal terrorism risk assessment (though it is recommended)
• Produce a written security plan
• Install CCTV, barriers, or other physical security measures
• Hire professional security staff
• Carry out bag searches or pat-downs

These are enhanced tier obligations. Standard tier is about awareness, planning, and having sensible procedures in place.

Practical Steps to Take Now

Do not wait for the SIA to publish its final guidance. The broad requirements are already clear. Start by writing down your current emergency procedures. If you do not have any, create them. Walk your premises and identify vulnerabilities. Talk to your staff about what they would do in an emergency. Run a tabletop exercise. These steps cost nothing and put you ahead of the curve.

If you want to go further, consider adding technology that supports your procedures. AI behaviour detection on existing CCTV cameras provides an early warning system that costs a fraction of hiring additional staff, and it gives you documented evidence that you are actively monitoring for threats.