Why 'readiness' beats 'compliance' when preparing for Martyn's Law

Professional Security Magazine Online published a piece encouraging venues to shift their thinking about the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, known as Martyn's Law. The argument is simple: rather than treating the new duties as a compliance checklist to complete once, operators should build a steady culture of readiness. The Act received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025, and its duties are expected to commence in spring 2027, with the exact date still to be confirmed.

The distinction matters in practice. A compliance mindset asks 'have we done the minimum?' A readiness mindset asks 'would our people know what to do?' For a pub landlord, church warden or hall manager, that means thinking about how staff and volunteers would react, how you'd communicate, and how you'd move people to safety — not just filing a form. Standard tier will cover premises where 200 to 799 people may reasonably be expected at once; the enhanced tier applies at 800 or more. The count includes staff.

It's worth repeating that the duties are not enforceable today. The Security Industry Authority will be the regulator, but its notification process is not yet live. This is a window to familiarise yourself and prepare calmly, not a deadline to panic about.

Work out roughly how many people your venue holds at its busiest, including staff, so you know which tier is likely to apply. Talk through simple 'what would we do' scenarios with your team. Treat preparation as something you revisit, not something you finish once. This is readiness information to help you get organised, and not a substitute for professional advice on the law itself.