Preparing for the UK's New Counter-Terrorism Duty
Event organisers, venue operators and museums have always had a responsibility to protect visitors, staff, volunteers and contractors. However, the introduction of Martyn's Law, formally known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, creates a new legal duty for many publicly accessible venues and events to consider the risk of terrorism and implement proportionate protective measures.
Whilst this article focuses on event organisers, venues and museums, Martyn's Law may also apply to other publicly accessible premises including universities, colleges, places of worship and visitor attractions where the relevant thresholds are met.
For venue owners, museums, festival organisers, conference operators, theatres, exhibition centres and hospitality businesses, understanding these requirements is becoming an important part of risk management and business planning.
In this guide, we explain:
Pubs and restaurants are exposed to a wide variety of risks every day:
- What Martyn's Law is
- Which venues, museums and events are affected
- What organisations need to do
- How insurance can support your risk management strategy
- Why specialist covers such as Deadly Weapons Prtection Insurance are becoming increasingly relevant
What is Martyn's Law
- Assess terrorism-related risks
- Implement appropriate ptotective procedures
- Ensure staff understand their roles during an incident
- Take reasonable steps to reduce the risk of harm to members of the public
The focus is on sensible, proportionate and practical measures rather than creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
Whilst the legislation has received Royal Assent, there is currently an implementation period before the new duties take effect. Organisations should use this time to review their preparedness, procedures and insurance arrangements.
Which Venues, Museums and Events Are Affected?
Martyn's Law introduces two tiers based primarily on attendance levels.
Standard Tier Premises
Premises that can reasonably expect between 200 and 799 people to be present at the same time fall within the Standard Tier.
Examples may include:
- Museums and galleries
- Wedding venues
- Hotels
- Theatres
- Entertainment venues
- Community centres
- Places of worship
- Larger pubs and restaurants
- Conference venues
- Visitor attractions
Enhanced Tier Premises and Events
Premises or qualifying events expecting 800 or more attendees will generally fall within the Enhanced Tier.
This could include:
- Major museums and exhibitions
- Festivals
- Exhibition centres
- Concert venues
- Arenas
- Sporting events
- Significant public attractions
- Large conferences and trade shows
What Does Compliance Look Like?
Standard Tier Requirements
For many venues, museums and event organisers, compliance centres around having clear procedures in place.
These procedures should address:
Evacuation
- Safely moving people away from danger
- Clearly identified exit routes
- Defined staff responsibilities
Invacuation
- Moving visitors to safer locations within the building when evacuation is not appropriate
Lockdown
- Restricting access and movement
- Securing entry and exit points
Communication
- Alerting visitors and staff quickly
- Providing clear instructions
- Establishing communication channels with emergency services
These measures are designed to be practical, proportionate and low-cost for most organisations.
Enhanced Tier Requirements
Larger venues, museums and qualifying events will generally require additional measures including:
- Documented security procedures
- Assessment of vulnerabilities
- Appropriate protective security measures
- Senior management accountability
- Evidence of compliance
Enhanced Tier organisations must maintain documentation setting out how their protective procedures and measures reduce risk and improve public safety.
Why Martyn's Law Matters Beyond Compliance
While the legislation focuses on terrorism preparedness, the benefits extend far beyond simply meeting legal requirements.
Organisations that invest in planning and preparedness can often achieve:
- Better emergency response capabilities
- Improved staff awareness and training
- Stronger business continuity planning
- Increased visitor confidence
- Reduced operational disruption following an incident
- Greater resilience to a range of security threats
For museums and visitor attractions in particular, reputation, public trust and visitor confidence are critical considerations.
The Insurance Implications of Martyn's Law
A common question from venue operators, museums and event organisers is:
"If a terrorist attack or violent incident occurs, will our insurance respond?"
Unfortunately, the answer is not always straightforward.
Many standard business insurance policies contain terrorism exclusions or provide only limited protection for losses arising from acts of terrorism. In some cases, separate terrorism insurance arrangements may be required.
In addition, some policies may not respond to every type of violent attack, making it important to understand exactly what events would trigger cover and where potential gaps may exist.
Businesses should review:
- Public Liability Insurance
- Employers' Liability Insurance
- Property Insurance
- Business Interruption Insurance
- Event Cancellation Insurance
- Terrorism Insurance
- Crisis Management and Specialist Security Covers
Understanding potential gaps within your insurance programme is becoming increasingly important as security responsibilities evolve.
What is Deadly Weapons Protection Insurance?
One specialist solution attracting increasing attention from museums, attractions, venues and event organisers is Beazley's Deadly Weapons Protection (DWP) cover.
The product was developed to address the growing threat posed by attacks involving deadly weapons, including:
- Firearms
- Knives
- Explosive devices
- Vehicles used as weapons
- Other weapons deliberately used to cause harm
Unlike traditional terrorism insurance, the cover is designed to respond to a broader range of violent attack scenarios.
What Does Beazley's Deadly Weapons Protection Cover?
1. Prevention Services
Designed to help organisations improve preparedness before an incident occurs through:
- Security assessments
- Risk reviews
- Action planning workshops
- Access to specialist guidance and resources
2. Crisis Response Support
Following an incident, support may include:
- Crisis management advice
- Communications support
- Counselling and wellbeing services
- Temporary security enhancements
- Incident response assistance
3. Insurance Protection
The insurance element can include cover for:
- Third-party liability claims
- Physical damage
- Business interruption losses
- Crisis response costs
Subject to policy terms, conditions and limits.
Could Your Venue or Museum Benefit From Specialist Cover?
Every organisation is different.
Factors worth considering include:
- Visitor numbers
- Public profile
- Location
- Frequency of events
- Existing security arrangements
- Size of gatherings hosted
- Business continuity exposures
- Contractual requirements
As organisations review their responsibilities under Martyn's Law, many are taking the opportunity to revisit whether their insurance arrangements remain appropriate.
Practical Steps to Take Now
If you are responsible for a venue, museum, visitor attraction or public event, consider the following actions:
- Determine whether your premises or event falls within the scope of Martyn's Law
- Review emergency procedures
- Assess staff and volunteer training requirements
- Consider potential security vulnerabilities
- Review visitor communication plans
- Check whether your insurance programme adequately addresses terrorism and violent attack exposures
- Speak with a specialist insurance adviser experienced in venues, attractions and events
Why Choose Sense Risk Solutions Ltd?
At Sense Risk Solutions Ltd, we believe insurance should be about more than simply finding the cheapest premium.
As an independent commercial insurance broker, we take the time to understand your organisation, discuss your risks and help arrange insurance solutions that reflect your individual needs and circumstances.
Experience Working with Venues, Event Organisers and Museums
We regularly assist event organisers, venues, museums, visitor attractions and hospitality businesses with their insurance arrangements and understand the unique challenges they face.
From visitor safety and business interruption exposures to property risks, liability concerns and emerging legislation such as Martyn's Law, we help clients understand their risks and identify suitable insurance solutions.
Access to Multiple Insurers and Specialist Markets
Rather than being tied to a single insurer, we can approach a wide range of insurance providers and specialist schemes to help secure competitive and comprehensive quotations.
This includes access to specialist markets that may be able to offer terrorism insurance, crisis management solutions and emerging products such as Deadly Weapons Protection Insurance where appropriate.
Ongoing Support
We're not just here at renewal.
We support clients throughout the year, helping with:
- Changes to activities or events
- Growth and expansion plans
- Reviews of sums insured and cover levels
- Risk management discussions
- Claims support when needed
As responsibilities and risks evolve, we aim to ensure your insurance arrangements evolve with them.
A Relationship-Driven Approach
We pride ourselves on building long-term relationships with our clients by providing clear advice, responsive service and practical insurance guidance.
Client feedback consistently highlights our professionalism, responsiveness and commitment to helping organisations understand their insurance arrangements and make informed decisions.
Protect Your Organisation with Confidence
Whether you operate a museum, visitor attraction, conference venue, theatre, festival, exhibition, wedding venue or other publicly accessible premises, having the right insurance and risk management support in place has never been more important.
At Sense Risk Solutions Ltd, we can help you review your existing arrangements, identify potential gaps in cover and source insurance solutions that help protect your organisation, your people and your future.
If you would like an independent review of your existing insurance arrangements, or would like to discuss how Martyn's Law may affect your organisation, please get in touch with Sense Risk Solutions Ltd. We would be happy to help.
