Martyn's Law, Without the Panic (and a Motorbike Trip with Dad)
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Martyn's Law — the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 — has caused real anxiety across the sector, with some councils cancelling fireworks displays, steam rallies and community events out of fear they can't comply. In this episode, Alex Jay, Managing Director of Little Green Button, joins John to cut through the jargon and explain what the Act actually requires — and, for most councils, how modest that really is.
Alex's background is in data and safety technology rather than counter-terrorism. Little Green Button is a UK safety-tech company whose digital panic alarms and lone-worker tools are used across healthcare, education and local government. He's refreshingly clear that no product makes you "Martyn's Law compliant", and that the honest answer for a lot of parish and town councils is that they fall out of scope altogether — but should still write down why.
The conversation walks through the essentials: the Manchester Arena attack and Figen Murray's campaign that led to the law; the two-year implementation period and the spring enforcement date; the tiers (exempt under 200, standard 200–800, enhanced 800+) and what counts as a qualifying event; the difference between evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication procedures; and the common mistakes — panic-buying kit, assuming everything is in scope (or that nothing is), and contracting away accountability.
Alex's practical playbook: list your premises and regular events, estimate realistic peak numbers, identify who actually has control, refresh your hiring agreements, keep procedures to simple one-pagers, brief staff and volunteers, and — above all — record your reasoning and review it annually. There's also a nice detour on whether AI tools can help you check your own scope (spoiler: yes, if you make it cite the Home Office or SIA rather than "Barry's blog").
Useful links: ProtectUK's Martyn's Law hub (including the in-scope flow charts), the Home Office / SIA guidance on the regulator's new role, and Little Green Button.
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Questions answered in this episode
Drawn from our conversation with Alex Jay, Managing Director at Little Green Button, and the questions raised during the live session. The answers below are editorial summaries — not verbatim transcripts.
What is Martyn's Law, and why does it exist?
Martyn's Law is the popular name for the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, the UK's first legislation specifically designed to improve protective security at publicly accessible premises and events. It grew out of the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, in which 22 people were murdered, and the campaign led by Figen Murray, mother of victim Martyn Hett. The aim is simply that those responsible for public venues and events have thought ahead about how they would keep people safe and communicate if the worst happened.
Does Martyn's Law actually apply to a small parish or town council?
Often not. The Act is built around a proportionate response, and many small councils and their premises will fall out of scope entirely. The advice is not to assume you are automatically caught — but equally not to rule yourself out without checking. Either way, note your reasoning in the minutes so there is a record that you considered it.
What are the tiers and thresholds under the Act?
Premises with a capacity below 200 are exempt. The standard tier covers premises where 200 to 800 people are reasonably expected at the same time, on a recurring basis. The enhanced tier applies where 800 or more are regularly expected. There is also a separate category of qualifying events — broadly, ticketed or access-controlled public events expecting 800 or more people. Obligations differ significantly between the tiers.
Is an unticketed fireworks display in an open park in scope?
Frequently not, as a qualifying event. Open recreation land and parks are generally excluded, and a public event that is not ticketed, fenced or access-controlled is unlikely to meet the qualifying-event test even with large crowds. That does not remove other duties — health and safety law and duty of care still apply — but it may mean the event is outside Martyn's Law itself. The official flow charts are the place to confirm.
Who counts as the 'responsible person' when we hire out our hall or a group runs the event?
It is whoever has control of the premises or event, which is not always the owner. When a hall is hired out or an outside society runs the fireworks or fair, responsibility can sit with the operator or organiser rather than the landowner — but this must be made explicit. Councils should work through their hiring agreements and have an early, collaborative conversation so no duty falls through the gap between the parties.
What does a 'proportionate' response actually involve?
For most in-scope councils, especially in the standard tier, it means light-touch, in-house work rather than cost. Update hiring agreements, put simple public-protection procedures in place, brief staff and volunteers, and document decisions. The emphasis is on clear one-page procedures people can actually follow, not 50-page packs.
Do we need to buy special technology or hire consultants to comply?
No. The Home Office and Security Industry Authority are clear that standard-tier duties can generally be handled with existing resources, and no product on its own makes an organisation compliant. Tools such as walkie-talkies or alerting software can help with communication at larger events, but they are optional aids. Be wary of anyone claiming their product or a paid visit will make you 'Martyn's Law compliant'.
Our building has several rooms hosting different groups at once — how do we count capacity?
Look at whether the building as a whole regularly holds 200 or more people at the same time across all its rooms. If several concurrent activities routinely add up to 200-plus, the premises is likely to fall into the standard tier. A useful test is what happens if the fire alarm sounds: if everyone evacuates together to the same muster point, that points toward treating it as one premises.
We're usually standard tier, but occasionally host a much larger one-off event. Where do we stand?
Treat the premises and the event as two separate things. The building might sit in the standard tier and be registered as such, while a genuine one-off large event is assessed on its own. A big event only pushes you toward the enhanced tier or qualifying-event obligations if it recurs regularly and reliably draws 800-plus — a true one-off can be handled proportionately using judgement and existing health-and-safety practice.
When does Martyn's Law start being enforced?
The Act received Royal Assent in 2025 and is followed by a two-year implementation period, so nothing is being enforced yet. Enforcement is expected to begin in spring of the following year, when the Security Industry Authority launches its online registration portal. That gives councils a valuable window now to learn, ask questions and get ready.
Can we use AI tools like ChatGPT to check whether we're in scope?
They can help, with a caveat. Asking an AI tool to talk through your specific event or premises can quickly surface the likely answer and reasoning — but insist it cites its sources. As long as it is drawing on the Home Office or Security Industry Authority guidance rather than an unverified blog, it is a reasonable way to sense-check your position before confirming against the official flow charts.
Where can councils find trustworthy official guidance?
Start with ProtectUK, which hosts simple in-scope flow charts, and the Home Office and Security Industry Authority guidance, including the SIA's new regulatory role. Joining the relevant mailing lists is worthwhile, as more sector-specific examples and FAQs — for schools, fireworks displays and similar — are being published during the implementation period.