HM Government have announced further details of the ‘Protect Duty’ which is to be brought into law sometime in 2023. More commonly known as Martyn’s Law (named for Martyn Hett, who was murdered in a terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena in 2017).
Like the ‘Duty of Care’ requirement under health and safety legislation or the Duty holder responsible for fire safety in a business, the ‘Protect Duty’ puts responsibility on to managers, owners and operators to ensure the safety of the people that work at or are attending their event, building or location.
Full guidance and documentation is still to be published, however this page will be updated and further details included about how to ensure safety at event venues complies with the Protect Duty.
Who does Martyn’s Law apply to?
Details are still to be published, however the current guidance suggests that there will be a tiered approach:
- Venues and locations with a capacity of less than 100
- Venues and locations with a capacity of more than 100 but less than 800
- Venues and locations with a capacity of more than 800
Do all venues have to comply with the Protect Duty?
- Broadly speaking, yes – all venues (whether permanent locations such as exhibition and conference centres, hotels and wedding venues) or temporary venues such as those used for music events, sporting events or public shows.
- There will be three tests to see if a premises will be required to comply with the Protect Duty
- The premises must have a defined boundary (i.e. a building footprint, or an event site)
- That qualifying activity takes place at the premises
- That the capacity of the premises meets the capacity thresholds
What information about Protect Duty is available?
- Further information is still to be published
- HM response to proposals
- HM Govt guidance
- Police UK Guidance
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