FEATURE
Awareness – UCS Technologies director Paul Kidd says businesses need to understand how Martyn’ s Law will affect them and their obligations.
CLOCK IS TICKING
WORDS: PAUL FRASER PICTURES: CHRIS BOOTH
Time running out to prepare for Martyn’ s Law
With the clock ticking down to April 2027, when it’ s expected to come into full effect, a critical piece of legislation known as Martyn’ s Law is set to redefine public safety across the UK.
However, for a significant number of North-East businesses and organisations, awareness of the new legal requirements – and crucially, preparedness – is lagging dangerously behind.
The Terrorism( Protection of Premises) Act 2025, which received royal assent on April 3 this year, introduces new legal duties for thousands of public-facing venues.
The 24-month implementation period is intended to give organisations time to understand these obligations, but experts warn that oversight will lead to major compliance headaches and potential penalties when the law becomes enforceable.
Martyn’ s Law, named in tribute to Martyn Hett, a victim of the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, aims to ensure that public spaces are legally responsible for preparing for, and responding to, terrorist threats and other hostile incidents.
Its core objective is to improve preparedness and reduce harm through three core responses: evacuation, invacuation( seeking shelter inside) and lockdown.
This is a major shift in legal responsibility, impacting an estimated 150,000 to 250,000 public-facing premises or outdoor events across the UK.
“ Businesses need to understand this and the obligations that will be in place,” said Paul Kidd, director at UCS Technologies.
“ The headline figure is that around 250,000 buildings in the UK will need to seriously think about this. Unfortunately, situations like the recent train stabbings in Cambridgeshire are becoming more prevalent. They have to do something.”
The law is structured in a tiered approach, ensuring requirements are proportionate to the venue’ s size. For premises with a capacity of 200 to 799 people, this means introducing documented public protection procedures and staff training.
For larger venues – those accommodating 800 or more people – the requirements demand a comprehensive risk assessment, a detailed security plan and, where practical, physical security measures.
This will cover schools, colleges and universities across Teesside, as well as leisure centres and sports stadiums, large shopping centres, hospitals, pubs and council offices.
That’ s why Teesside-based UCS
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