Sector checklists
Martyn’s Law lands differently in a beer garden than in a stalls bar — each checklist covers the likely scope route, the capacity evidence to gather and the gaps venues in that sector most often need to close.
Pubs & bars
Food and drink under Schedule 1 — 200–799 reasonably expected at your realistic peak, everyone working included, points to the standard tier.
Common gaps
- Capacity recorded from a quiet midweek count, not the cup-final or Christmas peak
- Beer garden and pavement seating missing from the count and the procedures
View checklist
Independent cinemas
Entertainment and leisure — fixed seats across screens plus everyone working typically lands between 200 and 799, the standard tier.
Common gaps
- Capacity counted per screening, not all screens plus foyer at the clash
- No quick way to stop the film and raise house lights on every screen
View checklist
Theatres
Entertainment and leisure as live-performance premises — a sold-out house plus cast, crew and front of house usually means standard tier at 200–799.
Common gaps
- Nobody can name who stops the show — or it sits with an unbriefed visiting stage manager
- Interval plan covers the auditorium only, not the foyer and bar
View checklist
Music venues
Entertainment and leisure — a sold-out headliner plus door, bar and touring crew sets the figure: 200–799 is standard tier, 800 or more enhanced.
Common gaps
- Promoter and venue each assume the other is the responsible person
- Show-stop authority assumed to sit with the touring crew, not the venue
View checklist
Nightclubs
Entertainment and leisure — licence capacities near the 800 line need a careful count: 200–799 including workers is standard tier, 800 or more enhanced.
Common gaps
- Evacuation never tested with the music on and the lights down
- Only the DJ knows how to cut the sound, with no staff override
View checklist
Hotels & function rooms
The hotels route under Schedule 1 — the biggest function plus residents, diners and event crew sets the figure; 200–799 points to the standard tier.
Common gaps
- Hotel and hirer each assume the other holds the duty, with nothing recorded
- Capacity taken from the banqueting plan alone, ignoring crew, caterers and residents
View checklist
Community halls
The halls route — standard tier where 200–799 people, volunteers included, are reasonably expected; under 200 at every peak is likely out of scope, recorded.
Common gaps
- The procedure lives in one trustee's head and leaves at the AGM
- Hirers run most events but have never seen the hirer briefing pack
View checklist
Restaurants
Food and drink — most restaurants sit under 200 at any realistic peak and are likely out of scope, but the reasoning is worth recording either way.
Common gaps
- Capacity based on a quiet Tuesday, not the December party peak
- Rear kitchen door propped for deliveries with nobody assigned to it
View checklist
Festivals & outdoor events
Usually assessed as an event, not premises — a qualifying event needs 800 or more at some point, workers included, with entry checked by ticket, wristband or pass.
Common gaps
- Dispersal plan funnels the whole site back through the entry gates
- Invacuation copied from an indoor template on a site with no hard shelter
View checklist
Sports clubs
Sports grounds, with the clubhouse and bar alongside — 200–799 at a predictable match or event peak points to the standard tier.
Common gaps
- Capacity counted from a quiet league fixture, not finals day or fireworks night
- Members-only access treated as private — it does not remove public accessibility
View checklist
Places of worship
The places of worship route — where the principal use is worship, the premises stay standard tier even at 800 or more expected.
Common gaps
- Capacity based on an average service, not the festival or holy-day peak
- A volunteer keyholder named as responsible person instead of the trustees
View checklist
Comedy clubs
Entertainment and leisure, usually with food and drink alongside — ticket limit plus staff and acts at 200–799 means the standard tier.
Common gaps
- Procedure assumes the technician is always in to raise the house lights
- The MC first sees the announcement script on stage
View checklist
Not legal advice or a guarantee of compliance. Review and approve all documents before use.