Martyn’s Law guidance for

village halls now available

Village halls can now begin taking steps to comply with the new Martyn’s Law, after fresh guidance was published by the government.

Named after a victim of the Manchester Arena bombing, Martyn’s Law requires public premises that have a capacity of at least 200 to have plans in place to keep people safe in the event of a terror attack.

Larger village halls, along with other rural community buildings, fall within the scope of the law, which is formally known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025.

Venue owners are now being encouraged to familiarise themselves with the new guidance, which was produced in partnership with a range of stakeholders, including ACRE and several Network members, ahead of the law coming into force in 2027.

The new guidance can be found online at www.protectuk.police.uk.