A word from our founder: Businesses must prepare for the anti-terror Bill

After the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, there have been campaigns for businesses to amp up their security for public events and venues.

And now a draft UK law – known as ‘Martyn’s Law’ is set to make it a requirement for businesses to take certain steps to try to keep their staff and the public safe from terrorist threats.

We’re expecting this law to apply to anyone who owns or is responsible for a location and venue that the public can access. This includes any location that’s set up for entertainment, leisure, retail, food and drink, visitor attractions, temporary events, places of worship and health and education.

This means if you manage a public venue that can fit a certain capacity, you’ll have to show you’re taking necessary safety precautions.

The bigger the capacity, the greater the responsibility.

If you manage a venue that can hold anywhere from 200-799 people, under the new law you’ll need to carry out an evaluation of the types of terror threats that could put your premises at risk. You’ll also need an emergency plan and protection training for your staff, so everyone is aware of the protocol in the event that an attack takes place.

If you manage a premise that can hold 800 or more people, then there’ll be even more requirements to follow. As well as the above duties, you’ll also need to be able to show a procedure for alerting occupants in an emergency – and this emergency plan will need to be available to occupants and regulators.

While this law isn’t yet in place, now is the time to start planning if you do manage a public venue. And even if you don’t meet the capacity requirements, you should still consider what you can be doing to protect your business and anyone who enters your premises.

Public safety should be at the heart of your events and premises. To find out more about your responsibilities under Martyn’s law, click below to get your free guide.