The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, widely known as Martyn’s Law, received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. It is named after Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people murdered in the Manchester Arena attack in May 2017, and it will place new legal duties on pubs, bars, restaurants, hotels, nightclubs and event venues to prepare for the risk of a terrorist attack. The duties do not apply yet. The Government has confirmed an implementation period of at least 24 months, so they are expected to commence around 2027, and the message to venues is clear: use this time to prepare.
This course explains what the law requires in plain English, written specifically for the licensed trade. Whether you run a 250-capacity pub or an 1,800-capacity nightclub, you will learn which tier your premises is likely to fall into, what the Security Industry Authority will expect, and how to build simple, effective protection procedures that fit alongside the fire safety and licensing duties you already manage. This is an awareness course and it does not replace legal advice on your specific circumstances.
What you’ll learn
- Why Martyn’s Law was introduced and what the Act actually says
- How to work out whether your venue is standard tier (200 to 799) or enhanced tier (800 or more)
- The four standard tier procedures: evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication
- The additional enhanced tier measures, documentation and the designated senior individual
- Current attack methods, the HOT protocol and how to spot suspicious activity
- Run Hide Tell and how to make fast decisions during an incident
- SIA enforcement powers, penalty levels and a practical preparation checklist
Who this course is for
Personal licence holders, designated premises supervisors, venue and duty managers, security staff and anyone responsible for the safety of customers in pubs, bars, restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, festivals and other hospitality or event settings.
Why it matters
Hospitality venues are exactly the kind of publicly accessible places the Act covers. Once the duties commence, the SIA will be able to issue compliance notices and civil penalties of up to 10,000 pounds at the standard tier, and far more at the enhanced tier. Venues that start planning now will find compliance straightforward and low cost; those that leave it late will not.
How it works
Eight self-paced online lessons followed by a final assessment. Study on any device, in any order, and return whenever suits you. Each lesson ends with key points to reinforce what you have learned.
Your certificate
On passing the final assessment you will receive a certificate of completion, issued electronically, which you can keep on file as evidence of staff awareness training as part of your venue’s preparation for Martyn’s Law.
