Martyn’s Law and Its Implications for Perimeter Security Industry

In the wake of the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017, Martyn’s Law was proposed as a way to improve security measures in public venues. The law is named after Martyn Hett, a victim of the bombing who was attending an Ariana Grande concert. Martyn’s Law seeks to make it mandatory for venues to have a robust and comprehensive security plan in place. In this article, we will explore the key provisions of Martyn’s Law and examine how it will impact the perimeter security industry.

About Martyn’s Law

More formally known as the Protect Duty, this law will apply to venues that have a maximum capacity of 100 people or more and seeks to ensure that proportionate security measures are put in place to help mitigate the risk of a terrorist attack and ensure public safety in the event of an incident.

Published on 2 May 2023, the bill is currently going through pre-legislative scrutiny prior to being considered by the Houses of Parliament in due course.

Focusing efforts on being better prepared

Martyn’s Law is in response to not only the horrific events that took place in Manchester, but to the 14 other terror attacks that have taken place in the UK since 2017. When it comes to public venues, it is recognised that overall security needs to be improved and that that robust, proportionate and consistent measures are needed to help combat the continually evolving and increasingly sophisticated tactics used in terror attacks.

This bill aims to help improve public safety by making those responsible for running these venues more responsible for their readiness to deal with a terrorist attack. Venue owners must demonstrate that they are ready to respond in the event of an attack and that they have trained their staff, adjusted their processes and significantly invested in better security systems as part of this preparedness.

Proportionate action

Under Martyn’s Law, venues will fall into two categories:

• A standard tier will drive good preparedness outcomes. Responsible persons will be required to undertake simple yet effective activities to improve protective security and preparedness. This will apply to qualifying premises with a maximum capacity of 100 or more individuals. This could include larger retail stores, bars, or restaurants.
• An enhanced tier will see additional requirements placed on high-capacity venues in recognition of the potential catastrophic consequences of a successful attack. This will apply to premises and events with a capacity of 800 or more individuals. This could include live music premises or events, theatres, and department stores.

The law is built around a number of key pillars that will combine to create a safer environment, including:

• Utilising the counter-terrorism training and advice that is available through NaCTSO, with a target of at least 25% of staff being Counter-Terrorism Awareness trained
• Completing vulnerability assessments of every premise/location
• Creating mitigation plans for the risks and vulnerabilities identified by the assessments
• Producing a counter-terrorism plan incorporating the principles of Guide, Shelter and Communicate
• For local authorities, a requirement to plan for the threat of terrorism

Benefitting from the expertise of the fencing industry

To support the implementation of enhanced security systems, the perimeter security industry has a real opportunity to drive change.

To support risk assessments, suppliers and manufacturers can help venues understand how their premises might be vulnerable to attack and what to look for when assessing their current perimeter system. They can also help venues understand what mitigating options there are when it comes to making their venue more resistant to attack through the use of improved perimeter fencing as part of a holistic security set-up, which may also include CCTV, toughened glazing and crash-resistant bollards. Those in the perimeter fencing industry can also use their expertise to help support the improvement of installation standards, ensuring products and systems are correctly installed and properly maintained so that the expected performance is always delivered, even under threat.

Looking forward: implementing Martyn’s Law

The benefits of implementing Martyn’s Law are undeniable, with public safety at the heart of the bill. However, there will also be potential challenges in ensuring it is fully complied with, not least given the financial implications of meeting all of the elements of the Bill.

Given the ‘proportionate’ sentiment of the bill, many believe the cost of implementing the measures needed to fulfil the requirements of the Duty should not be more important than their effectiveness. The Government has also identified the need for a regulator to be put in place as its main requirement. It expects this cost to be between £89 million to £178 million as an estimate at this stage. It also acknowledges there will be additional costs to local authorities.

Time is also a factor; for guidance to be prepared and training programmes designed and implemented, for the recruitment of specialist roles to support the roll-out and ongoing compliance with the law and for the provision of enhanced security measures such as better-performing perimeter fencing.

Getting ready for implementation

Martyn’s Law is an important step forward in public safety, legalising the requirement for public venues to be more aware, more prepared and more resilient in the face of a terror threat. It will take time, however, for this legislation to be passed so what can venue owners do to be proactive in their own level of preparedness?

Perimeter safety is an important element of overall building security and in many cases will act as the first line of defence in the event of a security or terrorist threat. When exploring options, it’s important in this instance to think about the worst-case scenario, such as a blast or suicide truck, and the devastating impact this could have. There are products available, such as Gabions and 358 High-Security Mesh from Siddall & Hilton that offer the highest levels of performance under extreme attack which should be considered as part of your early preparations for Martyn’s Law.

Talk to our experts today to understand how our toughened security and perimeter fencing can offer the first line of defence for your premises whilst keeping your buildings, and the people who use them, as safe as possible.