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Training under Martyn’s Law is a non-negotiable. The Law is designed to improve safety and security at events and venues, and that has to begin with firm, well-researched education that ensures compliance. It’s a legal requirement for many venues, and a major consideration for all.
Employee training is a requirement under the statutory guidance issued by the Security Industry Authority (SIA), and with the Act expected to complete its transitional phase in April 2027, it’s important to take note of how education and training plays its role in facilitating the next steps. But knowing the specifics of what Martyn’s Law training you and your venue need can be tricky.
That’s where ProFM Group can assist. We’ll explore the key topics your staff need to be aware of, why they’re important, and how a professional security company means you maintain full compliance without the hassle.
The guidance on training around Martyn’s Law depends on the “tier” that your venue falls into. Standard venues (i.e., those with a capacity lower than 800 people) will have simpler, more adaptable recommendations than those in the Enhanced tier (i.e., those with a capacity of more than 800).
While there are no explicit requirements for specific training (per Section 7.51 of the statutory guidance), there does need to be an awareness and a certain degree of familiarity with the Act. Here’s a breakdown of what those different tiers mean for education and training under Martyn’s Law.
All premises that fall under the “Standard” tier (as a reminder, that’s those with a capacity of less than 800 people) don’t have any firm training requirements. Instead, the focus for these venues is on awareness of the changing legislation, as well as an understanding of the Action Counter Terrorism (ACT) guidance and venue-specific strategies.
The Responsible Person at the venue should be the primary point of contact for any information that staff at the venue need to be aware of as part of the implementation of Martyn’s Law. In most cases, this is the owner and proprietor, but it may also be a general manager for larger chain premises.
They’ll decide on who is responsible for carrying out any procedures that have been identified as necessary under Martyn’s Law. For example, if someone needs to coordinate lockdown efforts (such as closing shutters and locking doors and windows), they’ll need to be aware of and trained in their duties to ensure they can be carried out effectively.
Similar to the Standard tier, there are no formal requirements for specific training modules or courses under Martyn’s Law. However, what the Act does state as part of Chapter 8 is that training should be a more prominent consideration for Enhanced-tier venues.
The key takeaway is that training should always be specific to the venue and its risk factors. For those in the Enhanced tier, that’s far more prevalent. The Act advises (per Sections 8.50 and 8.51) that, while there’s no specific instruction on training courses, the “effective implementation of public protection measures will depend on appropriate training, learning or instruction”.
That’s emphasised further by the breakdown of three key factors through which measures are implemented – people (looking for suspicious behaviour, identifying points of concern), processes (bag searches, scanning equipment), and physical measures (CCTV monitoring, security guarding, vehicle mitigation measures).
Training as part of Martyn’s Law should always be specific to the venue, the unique risk factors, the surrounding areas (and their risks), and the responsibilities of the Responsible Person and the staff. However, while there are no firm requirements under the Act, there are multiple key factors that Martyn’s Law training or instruction should cover.
An understanding of the Law, why it’s been implemented, and what it means for the venue you work at is essential. While we wouldn’t recommend reading the entirety of the 67-page statutory guidance issued by the Home Office, it’s important to know the why behind the implementation of the Act.
This helps facilitate the right training, too. For smaller, Standard-tier venues (grassroots music venues, for example), it means you can better forecast how the Law will be a factor going forward, and how it can shape effective training for the Responsible Person.
For Enhanced-tier venues (large concert venues, for example), it’ll be integral in understanding how the Law’s implementation keeps eventgoers safe, and offers reassurance to the wider community, alongside the wider compliance-driven factors that are undoubtedly a concern.
That crucial first step in stopping terror threats, awareness and threat visibility are one of the underpinning principles of any Martyn’s Law training that takes place. These are designed to stop incidents before they can materialise, and to allow everyone to play their role in enforcing the Act.
Measures can range from simpler ones that apply to both Standard and Enhanced premises (spotting the warning signs of suspicious behaviour, for example), to more advanced techniques that allow for large-scale venues (like Manchester’s Co-op Live, or London’s O2 Arena) to screen and monitor crowds seamlessly.
These can be facilitated through more structured training sessions and roleplay scenarios, or video training resources like ProtectUK’s eLearning library, which is run by the Counter Terrorism Police and the Home Office.
A more proactive approach to implementing Martyn’s Law. This revolves around learning the new processes, procedures and methodologies that the Responsible Person for your venue has implemented. These will always be tailored to suit your premises and fall in line with either the Standard or Enhanced tier guidelines.
Processes should be documented as part of the Enhanced tier, but for Standard tier premises, they just need to be communicated to the appropriate staff members. That might include measures in place for:
For venues that have more complex processes in place, it may also be a good idea to have a process in place to disseminate any relevant training. A great example would be evacuation procedures at a stadium – multiple staff will need to coordinate this, and it’s the duty of the Responsible Person to ensure that training is cascaded accordingly.
A foundational principle of Martyn’s Law, the “Run, Tell, Hide” methodology is fundamental to the Act’s rollout in 2027. This is the official guidance from the Counter Terrorism Police, and is designed to be as simple and easy-to-follow as possible. It hinges on those 3 core principles:
Under the Law, this will need to form part of any training that’s provided, and is of the utmost importance for larger venues or those in the Enhanced tier. For staff members and Responsible Persons at these venues, the guidance is slightly different, but follows the same core idea:
While simple on the surface, these measures have been proven to save lives in serious incidents like a terror attack.
Multiple people can (and should) have training that’s appropriate to the roles they perform at the venue. For smaller venues which are part of the Standard tier, it’s usually only the Responsible Person who needs to have training that’s applicable to the stipulations of the Law.
An example of this might be an events space or hall in a town. It’s unlikely to be more than 200 people in the venue at any one time, and the risk is low that an incident may occur. Here, a Responsible Person may let other event staff know the lockdown procedures and any necessary evacuation processes through an informal training session.
For larger venues that still fall under the Standard tier, it may be appropriate for any front-of-house or hospitality staff to have some basic training under the Act. They may be trained to recognise suspicious behaviour, coordinate evacuation plans, or conduct lockdown protocols in the event of a terror incident.
An example of this might be a small, underground music venue where there are ticketing services, hospitality, and other staff members who may be able to assist, but the capacity doesn’t exceed 800. Here, these staff may need to know how to successfully and smoothly move people in and out of the premises, as well as the warning signs of an attack.
Smaller venues that still fall into the Enhanced tier will require a more nuanced approach to their training. Multiple people may be required to properly arrange evacuation and invacuation. There could be additional considerations for lockdowns. It may also require more specialist qualifications (such as an SIA accreditation needed for internal CCTV monitoring).
An example of this could be a shopping centre. While there’ll be an overall management team, individual shop managers or store owners will also need to have similar training under the Act to ensure that each property can be properly locked down and evacuated should the situation call for it.
Large-scale Enhanced-tier venues will need in-depth planning, multiple Responsible Persons, and suitably cascaded training to senior or supervisory employees, as well as any security staff. There’ll need to be specific training deployed for those completing licensable duties (like monitoring CCTV cameras), as well as for anyone who monitors the premises when it’s not active (as it may still be a target).
An example of this might be a football stadium. There needs to be a core team of Responsible Persons, all of whom have extensive familiarity with the Law and what it means for the venue. Senior staff across all areas of the venue (from hospitality to the concourse) need to be well aware of their roles and must be able to coordinate any evacuation, lockdown, or emergency measures.
This is most commonly ProtectUK’s official Action Counter Terrorism (ACT) training. Created by the Counter Terrorism Police in conjunction with the Home Office and the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO), it seeks to provide a comprehensive look at what you’ll need to do to prepare for the Law’s full rollout in April 2027.
The course covers 6 chapters, which seek to promote awareness around terror threats and suspicious activity, as well as provide an insight into possible security vulnerabilities and how to mitigate them.
It is free to complete, and those who do so will have a certificate to prove it. Those who act as the Responsible Person for an Enhanced-tier premises may choose to include these certificates as part of any documentation.
A professional security provider – particularly one that already has familiarity with Action Counter Terrorism (ACT) and Martyn’s Law’s Royal Assent – can offer support and guidance around risk assessment and planning, as well as trained professionals and CCTV technology to support mitigation practices and physical measures.
It’s important to recognise at this point that there is no obligation under the Act to contract professional security services. However, it can be a good idea if you run one of the Enhanced tier venues and are seeking to alleviate some of your concerns, a professional security company can function as the ideal remedy.
Having been a vocal supporter of the Law since it first entered Parliament, and an advocate for anything that seeks to improve public safety and security, ProFM Group are the clear choice for full compliance with Martyn’s Law.
All of our operatives are screened and vetted in line with the rigorous BS7858 standards, and will have completed substantial counter-terrorism training both as part of their SIA licensing and through our online training platform. We seek to go beyond the norm and equip our officers with the ability and understanding that our clients need to feel safe and fully compliant.
Beyond that, we’re also able to support with supervisory and management staff who can function in tandem with your own Responsible Person to develop a strategy that’s uniquely yours. Plus, with our proven track record for bespoke security services across all we do, ProFM Group are the ideal option for securing your venue ahead of 2027.
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John has a proven track record for motivating and leading high performance teams and has helped mentor and develop many people at ProFM who now hold key or senior positions within the business. John is committed to delivering only the finest services, exercising compelling leadership, maintaining good internal morale and striving to resolve any challenges efficiently and effectively.