Feature


For Standard Duty premises, the emphasis is on Public Protection Procedures (PPPs), reactive actions that reduce harm during an incident. For Enhanced Duty venues and qualifying events, assessments must also consider Public Protection Measures (PPMs), which are proactive and preventative.


Additionally, although Martyn's Law addresses physical


terrorism risk, modern threat activity often involves hybrid tactics. A hostile actor may test digital systems to support physical intrusion. Enhanced Duty premises should therefore also assess issues such as the secure handling of sensitive plans and layouts, access control to digital operating procedures, and cyber hygiene of operational systems.


Turn Findings Into A Readiness Plan And Gap Analysis Once findings are understood, operators should take steps to address the following: • prioritise risks • map gaps against legal obligations • sequence improvements appropriately • align actions with budgeting cycles • build in review points as guidance evolves


Many venues initially overestimate the need for expensive physical measures.


Proportionate solutions often involve


procedural improvements such as clearer communication routes or better crowd movement planning. Regulators increasingly expect documented reasoning of why decisions were made, not just what was implemented.


Prioritise And Track Staff Training


Training is one of the most important - and most overlooked - components of Martyn's Law. Frontline staff are often the first to notice something unusual and the first port of call that the public turns to in crisis. It is therefore important that venues ensure staff understand basic PPPs (Standard Duty venues) as well as providing deeper, scenario-based training at Enhanced Duty venues, and there is a range of free government training available here, which is well worth exploring.


In today's threat environment, this extends beyond physical response protocols - staff should also understand how social engineering, phishing attempts or suspicious digital behaviour can relate to physical threat indicators, a reflection of the growing cyber-physical convergence facing many operators.


Just as important is recording and being able to evidence training for audit purposes. Whether you use a digital system, Learning Management System (LMS) or existing compliance software doesn't matter; the ability to evidence who was trained, when, and on what, is essential.


Centralise Documentation


Disconnected systems are the enemy of compliance. When your risk assessment lives in one folder, your training records in another, and your procedures in a third, you can't see the full picture or easily prove you've met your obligations. Better and more centralised document management is set to be a key cornerstone of Martyn's Law, and using a single, tailored platform where all


relevant


ready to present to the regulator or an inspector means that compliance stops being a static exercise and becomes a live and evolving part of your day-to-day operation.


In conclusion, Martyn's Law is set to significantly impact the operations of many UK venues and operators in order to bring about improvements to public safety and increasing the UK’s resilience in dealing with terrorist incidents. Whilst the work needed to comply with the new law might seem daunting, with the right tools in place to support compliance, it is a chance to strengthen security culture, improve cross-team coordination, and create greater situational awareness across every layer of an organisation.


Our advice is simple: • Get the basics correct from the start; seek advice to help guide you if necessary • Commission or conduct a structured risk assessment • Turn that into a prioritised readiness plan and budget • Test and practice your plans • Make training, audits and documentation part of everyday operations • Keep your risk assessment and plans under regular review


By acting now, and taking advantage of tools to help provide a clearer understanding of your duties and responsibilities under the new law, you will be better placed to satisfy inspectors and insurers, and, most importantly, support the overall aim: keeping people safe.


FSM 25 Make Compliance Manageable


Martyn's Law doesn't just require you to do the work, it requires you to prove you've done it. Real-time audit and reporting tools are a useful tool in addressing this problem, with digital platforms enabling dynamic risk assessments to be undertaken and recorded, documenting decisions as you make them, and assigning actions to specific team members.


Progress and completion can be tracked, gaps proactively flagged, and compliance-ready reports generated at the touch of a button. As well as being good practice to keep this kind of audit trail, it may also provide useful information for insurers and senior leadership teams, as well as the SIA. These types of tools are available now and are a good place to start, with useful screening questions and prompts to tailor advice and guide venues towards focusing on the right areas.


FSM


activity and records can live,


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