Martyn’s Law checklist for nightclubs
Late hours, queues, and licence capacities that often approach the 800 threshold mean nightclubs need a clear capacity basis and procedures their door team can actually run at 1am.
Likely scope route
What to think about
- Licence capacity plus staff and security is your starting figure.
- Clubs near 800 should look carefully at which side of the line they sit.
- Smoking areas and re-entry queues keep people around the entrance.
- Door teams change — briefing records keep new staff covered.
- Lockdown and invacuation need to work with music off and lights up.
Procedure focus
What evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication tend to hinge on in nightclubs.
- Music cut, strobes off, house lights up as the tested first step
- Moving the queue away from the building, never holding it against the doors
- Radios tested at peak volume, with dead spots recorded
- A named all-clear authority: duty manager or police only
Common evidence gaps
The process gaps venues in this sector most often need to close — each one fixable, and worth a dated record once it is.
- GapEvacuation never tested with the music on and the lights down
- GapOnly the DJ knows how to cut the sound, with no staff override
- GapLockdown plan leaves the door queue pressed against the locked entrance
- GapToilets, VIP rooms and cloakroom missing from sweep allocations
- GapAll-clear left to whoever is nearest, not a named authority
Also serving
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.
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.
View checklist
Not legal advice or a guarantee of compliance. Review and approve all documents before use.