What Martyn’s Law Means for Door Supervisors & Event Security in 2025

As venues, events, and public gatherings adapt to Martyn’s Law (formally the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025), everyone in security, especially door supervisors and event staff need to know exactly what’s changing. This law marks a major shift in how we approach counter-terrorism preparedness, and it’s one door supervisors can’t ignore.

🛡️ 1. What Is Martyn’s Law?

Martyn’s Law, receiving Royal Assent on 3 April 2025, requires venues with 200+ attendees to take stricter steps to prevent and respond to terrorist threats. Named in memory of Martyn Hett, one of the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing, the legislation aims to tighten venue safety standards and ensure everyone is ready to act.

👥 2. Who Needs to Comply?

If you work as a door supervisor, event security officer, or any licensed SIA operative at venues like nightclubs, stadiums, theatres, or large corporate events, this law applies to you. You’ll be expected to:

• Help with written security plans

• Take part in emergency drills

• Recognise and report suspicious behaviour

• Know how to lockdown, evacuate, and support emergency services

🎯 3. What Your Training Will Now Cover

Under Martyn’s Law additions, your refresher or top-up training must include:

• Terrorist threat awareness (what “hostile reconnaissance” looks like)

• Crowd control during emergencies

• Lockdown protocols until police take over

• Basic lone-actor attack response

• How to report suspicious packages or behaviour to authorities

If you renew after April 2025, expect extra modules in your SIA courses.

💪 4. Why It Matters to Door Supervisors

• Legal compliance — operating without understanding Martyn’s Law risks fines or licence issues.

• Market advantage — venues want staff who can demonstrate readiness.

• Public safety impact — your actions could prevent loss of life or injury in a crisis.

Being properly trained isn’t just about ticking boxes — it’s about keeping people safe.

✅ 5. What You Should Do Now

Action	Reason
Check with your training provider	Ask if Martyn’s Law content is included in your next refresher
Brush up on emergency procedures	Understand lockdown, evacuation, and incident reporting processes
Engage with mock drills	Practising saves lives when seconds matter
Update your CV	Add Martyn’s Law compliance — it’s a hot feature for recruiters

✍️ Final Thoughts

Martyn’s Law isn’t just another regulation — it signals a new era in public safety where frontline security staff are central to anti-terrorism efforts. By understanding it, embracing it, and putting it into practice, door supervisors can not only stay legal but also become essential to the next generation of event security.

👉 Ready to upgrade your training with Martyn’s Law modules? Book your SIA refresher/top‑up with us now and we’ll walk you through every legal update and drill.