Martyn’s Law checklist
A free, plain-English readiness checklist for standard-tier venues. Work through it top to bottom and you will have covered what the Act asks for. It is preparation guidance, not professional advice on the law — the responsible person makes the final call.
Tip: press Ctrl/Cmd + P to print this and take it into a staff briefing. Last reviewed: June 2026.
1. Work out if you are in scope
Before anything else, confirm whether the Act applies to you and at which tier.
- Confirm a qualifying useYour premises are wholly or mainly used for a Schedule 1 activity — hospitality, entertainment, leisure, worship, education, retail and more.
- Estimate your realistic peak headcountThe most people you can reasonably expect at the same time, from time to time — staff included.
- Confirm your tierUnder 200: likely out of scope. 200–799: standard tier. 800 or more: enhanced tier (a few uses, like worship and schools, stay standard above 800).
2. Pin down your capacity basis
This is the step venues most often get wrong — and the easiest to evidence.
- Base it on a predictable peak, not an averageA match night, a sell-out show, the Friday before Christmas — not a quiet midweek.
- Include everyone workingBar, kitchen, door, stewards, performers, contractors all count toward the number.
- Write down how you reached the figureLicence capacity, fire-risk occupancy, door counts, ticketing, staff rotas — a dated note that shows your working.
3. Name the responsible person
Someone has to hold the duty — make sure it is recorded.
- Identify who controls the premises for its main useUsually the operator — not the landlord, and not a hirer. Responsibility cannot be passed on by a hire contract.
- Record their name and roleAnd note any deputy who acts when they are off site.
4. Draft the four public protection procedures
Simple, no-cost procedures your staff can actually carry out, built around your real layout.
- EvacuationGetting people out safely, with routes from every area — garden, function room, toilets — not just the main door.
- InvacuationBringing people inside or to a safer place when the threat is outside.
- LockdownPreventing people entering or leaving — without ever blocking a fire exit.
- CommunicationHow you alert and instruct staff and the public, with a fallback for when the PA fails.
5. Brief your team and keep the evidence
The evidence trail is what shows you were prepared.
- Brief the people who would carry out the proceduresIncluding part-time, seasonal and agency staff — on day one, not day thirty.
- Keep a dated staff briefing recordWho was briefed, on what, and when.
- Set a review dateSo nothing quietly goes stale, and re-brief when staff or layout change.
Turn the checklist into a real pack
The free readiness checker walks you through these steps for your specific venue and produces an indicative tier with the reasoning. Or see a complete worked example below.
Get the example pack
A full example pack for a fictional theatre — the plan, all four procedures and the guidance they rest on. Leave your email and it’s yours.
What this is — and what it is not
martynslaw.app is a preparation and document-management tool. It is not legal advice, not official guidance, not official certification, not SIA approval and not a guarantee of compliance. The responsible person must review and approve all documents before use.
martynslaw.app is an independent product. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Home Office, the Security Industry Authority or any other public body. Official sources are cited as sources only.