Does Martyn's Law apply to your venue?
Martyn's Law Scope
The Act applies across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. If your venue can expect 200 or more people on site at the same time — including guests, staff, contractors and suppliers — you are almost certainly in scope.
The Tiered Framework
Standard Tier
200 - 799 people on site
The Starting point for most hospitality venues
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Public protection procedures in place for evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication
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Staff must be aware of procedures and able to implement them
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Notification to the Security Industry Authority (SIA)
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Co-ordination with other responsible persons on the same site
The threshold is not just your guest count. It includes every person on site at the same time: seated guests, evening guests, all permanent staff, agency serving staff, kitchen teams, entertainers, photographers, florists, delivery personnel, contractors and security.
A "180-guest wedding" may put 250+ people on site.
Enhanced Tier
800+ people on site
Greater obligations - even if only occasional
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All Standard Tier requirements
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Formal vulnerability assessment
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Documented compliance submission to the SIA
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Designated named senior individual
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Public protection measures: monitoring, access controls, physical security
Why Hospitality is Different
Venues like yours present a unique combination of risk factors
         Mixed staffing
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Permanent employees, agency servers, kitchen porters, casual bar staff, contracted security, external entertainers and photographers — all on site simultaneously, many unfamiliar with the building.
       Extended event duration
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A wedding can run for 10–12 hours. Guest composition changes throughout — ceremony guests, reception guests and evening guests — with total site occupancy peaking at different times.
       Complex layout
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Ceremony rooms, reception areas, dining spaces, bars, external terraces, car parks, kitchens, back-of-house corridors and accommodation wings — all requiring individual procedure consideration.
       Long advance bookings
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Weddings confirmed today for 2026 and 2027 will take place under live Martyn's Law obligations. Compliance cannot be treated as something to organise closer to the event date.
       Open public access
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Hotels and venues with public-facing restaurants, bars and lobbies have unrestricted access points. A wedding reception next door to a public dining room adds significant complexity.
       Duty of care extends far
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Guests, residents, delegates, wedding parties, contractors, suppliers, florists, photographers, delivery drivers — the Act covers every person on your premises. Not just your paying customers.