SSS readiness support
Looking for the operational readiness framework already included for SSS clients? Visit our dedicated Martyn’s Law readiness page.
Martyn’s Law: Readiness for London Venues
A clear, practical guide to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025—and the readiness support already included for every SSS client.
Martyn’s Law is the name commonly used for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. The Act is designed to improve protective security and organisational preparedness at certain public premises and events. For London operators, the right approach is measured preparation: understand whether the Act is likely to apply, identify the person with legal responsibility, and make sure people, procedures and records are ready to work together.
Who is likely to be in scope?
A premises is likely to be in scope where it includes a building or part of a building, is used mainly for a purpose listed in Schedule 1 of the Act, is not excluded, and it is reasonable to expect 200 or more people—including staff—to be present at the same time from time to time. The legislation also creates a separate route for certain publicly accessible qualifying events where 800 or more people are expected and entry checks apply. The details matter, so an individual venue or event should be assessed against the official scope guidance rather than a generic capacity estimate.
The legal duty sits with the Responsible Person: usually the individual, company or organisation that controls the premises or the event for the purpose for which it is in scope. A security provider can support readiness and delivery; it does not take over that statutory responsibility.
What will the two tiers require?
Standard tier
200–799 people
Standard-tier duties apply to eligible premises where 200 to 799 people may be present at the same time. The Responsible Person will need to notify the SIA and, so far as is reasonably practicable, have appropriate public-protection procedures in place.
Enhanced tier
800+ people and qualifying events
Enhanced-tier premises and qualifying events will need to meet the standard-tier duties, implement appropriate public-protection measures, prepare a security document explaining the procedures and measures, and provide it to the SIA. An organisation must also designate a senior individual involved in its management or control.
For both tiers, the four public-protection procedures to consider are:
Enhanced-tier measures additionally require consideration of monitoring, movement, physical security and security of information. What is “reasonably practicable” will depend on the nature of the venue or event and the available resources; the SIA will assess compliance in context.
Martyn’s Law readiness is already part of an SSS deployment
For clients of Special Service Security, readiness support is not an optional add-on. The proprietary SSS Application is included as standard with every SSS contract, with no additional platform licensing or implementation charge. Its Martyn’s Law module is already designed to support site-tier classification, procedure tracking and training-completion tracking.
This gives clients a practical way to keep the smaller but essential readiness tasks visible before the Act commences—without confusing a platform feature with a legal compliance guarantee.
Site readiness record
Maintain a clear view of site tier classification and the operational procedures your venue needs to consider.
Procedure tracking
Track the procedures agreed for a site and keep the operational plan visible as requirements and conditions evolve.
Training evidence
SSS officer training is delivered through the platform, with completion, score and certificate records tracked automatically.
Client visibility
The client portal provides live rotas, SIA verification, shift booking, incident logs and compliance views for transparency around the deployment.
Why prepare now?
Preparation should not be confused with over-engineering. It is about making sure the fundamentals are understood, practised and recorded: who holds responsibility, what the venue’s procedures are, how staff communicate during an incident, and whether security personnel have current, site-specific operational instructions. SSS provides the calm, professional presence required to support these standards without compromising the guest experience at premium hospitality venues, events and private locations.
For operators using event security services, door supervision or an SSS manned deployment, the most valuable next step is a focused conversation about the reality of the site—not a generic checklist copied from another venue.
Frequently asked questions
Is Martyn’s Law already in force?
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 has received Royal Assent, but its duties have not yet commenced. The SIA currently expects commencement in spring 2027 and says it will confirm the exact date ahead of time.
Does every London bar, restaurant or club fall within the Act?
No. Scope depends on the detailed statutory tests, including the use of the premises, expected number of people present at the same time, and exclusions. A venue should use the Home Office and ProtectUK scope guidance to assess its own position.
What does “reasonably practicable” mean?
It means balancing what can be done to achieve the relevant protective objective against the cost, time and difficulty of implementation, taking account of the particular venue or event and its resources.
Can SSS certify that my venue is legally compliant?
No. Legal responsibility remains with the Responsible Person. SSS can help clients prepare, deliver security services and use the application’s readiness features, while clients should use official guidance and obtain advice suitable for their circumstances.
Is SSS’s Martyn’s Law readiness support an extra charge?
No. For SSS clients, the SSS Application is included as standard with every contract, without an additional platform licensing or implementation charge.
Plan with confidence, not panic.
Speak with SSS about an operationally grounded security deployment for your London venue, event or portfolio.
Official sources and further guidance
- Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, legislation.gov.uk.
- Understanding Martyn’s Law and the SIA’s role as regulator, Security Industry Authority, 17 July 2026.
- Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025: statutory guidance, Home Office.
- Martyn’s Law guidance and resources, ProtectUK.
