Martyn’s Law, also known as the Protect Duty, is a proposed legislation in the United Kingdom aimed at enhancing public safety by requiring owners and operators of publicly accessible locations to take steps to protect people from terrorist attacks. It is named in honour of Martyn Hett, one of the victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.
As a pub or bar manager, ensuring the safety of your patrons and staff is always a top priority. With Martyn’s Law—also known as the Protect Duty—set to come into force in the next few months, this responsibility will take on a new dimension.
Named in memory of Martyn Hett, a victim of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, Martyn’s Law aims to bolster public safety by requiring venues like yours to take proactive measures against potential terrorist and other threats.
Understanding the Basics of Martyn’s Law
Martyn’s Law will aim to ensure that all publicly accessible venues, including pubs and bars, implement simple security measures to protect the public. The law introduces new legal requirements for venues to assess security risks, implement appropriate some measures, train staff, and have emergency response plans. Depending on the size and capacity of your venue, these requirements vary, but the overarching goal remains the same: enhancing public safety.
Conducting a Security Risk Assessment
The first step in preparing for Martyn’s Law will be to conduct a security risk assessment of your venue. This assessment will help you identify potential vulnerabilities and understand the level of risk your venue may face from potential attacks. As most of us have never had to do this before, it’s a great opportunity to look at the vulnerable areas that you may not even realise – like a broken fence, a window that doesn’t lock or a front door that could do with a better bolt.
During the assessment, you’ll pay attention to entry and exit points, crowd management, and blind spots inside and outside your venue. Your assessment will form the basis for the measures you’ll carry out.
FAQs
Why was Martyn’s Law introduced?
Martyn’s Law was introduced in response to the growing threat of terrorism and to ensure that venues are better prepared to respond to such incidents. It aims to establish a consistent and effective approach to security across a variety of public spaces, helping to prevent future attacks and minimize their impact.
What types of locations are affected by Martyn’s Law?
The law applies to a wide range of publicly accessible locations, including but not limited to:
- Concert halls and arenas
- Shopping centres
- Public squares and parks
- Sports stadiums
- Large entertainment venues
- Places of worship
- Educational institutions
Essentially, any place where large numbers of people gather and could potentially be targeted by terrorists.
What will be the key requirements of Martyn’s Law for venue operators?
Risk Assessment: Conducting thorough risk assessments to identify potential vulnerabilities and threats.
Mitigation Measures: Implementing appropriate and proportionate measures to reduce the risks identified, which may include physical security measures, staff training, and emergency response planning.
Training and Awareness: Ensuring that staff are adequately trained to recognize and respond to security threats.
Collaboration: Working with local authorities, emergency services, and other stakeholders to enhance overall security and preparedness.
Information Sharing: Sharing relevant security information and intelligence with appropriate authorities and other operators.
How will compliance with Martyn’s Law be monitored and enforced?
Compliance with Martyn’s Law will be monitored and enforced by designated regulatory bodies, which may include local authorities and other government agencies. These bodies will have the authority to conduct inspections, review risk assessments and mitigation plans, and take enforcement action if necessary, including issuing fines or other penalties for non-compliance.
When is Martyn’s Law expected to come into effect?
The exact timeline for the implementation of Martyn’s Law is still being determined, as it is subject to the legislative process. However, the UK government has expressed a strong commitment to moving forward with the legislation, and it is anticipated to be enacted in the near future.
Implementing Security Measures
The measures you should adopt should be proportionate to the level of risk you have identified. For most pubs and bars, this could involve:
- Maintaining your CCTV system, if you have one, to monitor key areas.
- Improving lighting around entrances, exits, and outside your venue.
- Managing people coming in and out of your venue, perhaps using.
- Checking of your venue’s security to make sure everything is working properly.
Remember, the goal is not to create a fortress but to implement sensible and effective measures that improve security without detracting from the welcoming atmosphere of your venue.
Training Your Staff
Under Martyn’s Law, you’ll need to brief your team on recognising suspicious behaviour and what to do if an incident happens. There are 5 types of attack:
- Marauding attack
- Fire as a weapon
- Vehicle as a weapon
- Improvised explosive devices
- Chemical, biological and radiological
If one of these incidents happens, whether thorough a terrorist attack or other type of attack, the type of response is very simple and can be communicated simply as well:
- Invacuation – get everyone in
- Evacuation – get everyone out
- Lockdown – lock all the doors and secure the venue
- Communicate – let patrons, staff, local partners and police know what’s happening
Your staff will need to know how to execute or play their part any one of these scenarios.
Developing response plan
You will need to create a simple response plan. This should be a clear outline of how to invacuate, evacuation, lockdown and communicate that is customised to your venue.
It would be helpful to run through these scenarios with your staff face-to-face so that they are familiar with routes through the building what to do. A key issue when incidents occur is that people freeze and are unable to make decisions.
Patron comms
You may need to communicate with your patrons. This might be as simple as displaying signage that advises guests on what to do in an emergency and could follow the type of instructions they are used to seeing and hearing – for example how to exit the building should a fire occur.
Regular Reviews and Updates
As a ‘responsible person’ there will be documents that you will need to keep up to date for the regulator. Who the regulator will be has not yet been decided, but you may need to keep a record or your risk assessments, plans and staff training.
As we get closer to the duty becoming law, we will be updating information to keep everyone in the loop.
Martyn's Law Timeline
May 22, 2017 - Manchester Arena Bombing
Manchester Arena Bombing: A terrorist attack during an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena results in 22 deaths, including Martyn Hett, and hundreds of injuries.
2018 - The Kerslake Report published
The Kerslake Report is an independent review of the emergency response to the Manchester Arena bombing.
2018 - Figen Murray’s Advocacy Begins
Figen Murray, the mother of Martyn Hett, starts campaigning for stronger security measures at public venues to prevent similar tragedies.
2019 - The Manchester Arena Inquiry
The inquiry was established to provide a thorough and transparent investigation into the events leading up to, during, and after the attack to identify what went wrong, what could have been done differently, and how future responses to similar incidents can be improved.
2019 - Martyn’s Law Concept Introduced:
Figen Murray formally introduces the idea of Martyn’s Law, advocating for mandatory security measures at venues to protect the public from terrorism. The campaign begins to gain public and political attention.
Early 2021 - Government Consultation
The UK government conducts a consultation process to gather input on the proposed Martyn’s Law, engaging with stakeholders, including venue operators, security experts, and the public.
December 2021 - Government Commitment
The UK government officially commits to introducing Martyn’s Law, incorporating it into its legislative agenda with plans to bring the law before Parliament.
2022 - Legislative Development
The government works on drafting the law, refining its details based on the consultation process, and preparing it for implementation.
February 2024 - March 2024 - Consultation Period
The Government have launched a Martyn's Law consultation to ensure the public can share their views on these proposals for the Standard Tier.
July 2024 - King Charles Speech
King Charles' speech to both houses of Parliament addressed the adoption of anti-terrorism measures; "Measures will be introduced to improve the safety and security of public venues and help keep the British public safe from terrorism - the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill."
2024 - Implementation Expected
Martyn’s Law is anticipated to be fully implemented, marking a significant milestone in public safety legislation in the UK.
