VenueReady · Martyn's Law guides · Village halls
Martyn's Law for village halls and community centres
Halls are hired out by lots of different groups, but the duties stay with whoever runs the hall. The good news: a standard tier hall needs procedures and good briefings, not new equipment.
Does Martyn's Law apply to you?
- Count the most people that could reasonably be in the hall and its grounds at once: guests, volunteers and anyone working.
- Think about your biggest bookings: wedding receptions, discos, quiz nights, fêtes and polling days.
- 200 to 799 people puts you in the standard tier. 800 or more is the enhanced tier.
Think of your busiest realistic time: a match day, live music, Christmas or a sunny Saturday.
Add your numbers to see whether Martyn's Law is likely to apply.
A quick guide, not legal advice. The law counts everyone reasonably expected to be there at the same time, including staff and outside areas like beer gardens.
What a standard tier venue has to do
- Tell the SIA about the premises and who's responsible for them. It's free, and you tell them again if the responsible person changes.
- Have four procedures, as far as reasonably practicable: evacuation (getting people out), invacuation (bringing people inside, away from a threat), lockdown (stopping an attacker getting in) and communication (warning people and calling for help).
- Make sure the people working there know them.
No new equipment is required for the standard tier. The duties are expected to start in spring 2027, and the regulator is the Security Industry Authority (SIA).
Who's responsible?
The responsible person is whoever controls the hall for its use. For most halls that's the charity, trust or management committee that runs it, not the people who hire it for an evening.
Things to watch for
Hirers don't take on the duty
When someone hires your hall, the hall stays responsible. Each hirer needs to know the exits, the meeting point, how to lock down and who calls 999.
Volunteers and keyholders
Whoever opens up and is in charge on the night needs to know the plan. Keep a record of who's been briefed.
Hire agreements
Add a short clause asking hirers to name a person in charge and go through your emergency briefing before the event.
Big outdoor events
A fête or festival for 800+ people that checks tickets or takes payment on entry can count as enhanced tier. Check before you agree to it.
How VenueReady gets you ready
- Tier check and a dated capacity record for your biggest bookings
- Procedures with suggested answers written for halls, which you edit to fit
- A hirer briefing card and ready-made wording for your hire agreement
- Volunteer and keyholder sign-off by QR code or text link, with reminders
See exactly what you get
A sample plan for an example venue, with all four procedures and the staff quick card.
Download sample plan (PDF)Questions
We're a small charity with no money. What will this cost us?
Standard tier needs no equipment. Telling the SIA is free. The main cost is a bit of committee time, which VenueReady keeps to an afternoon.
Do we need to tell the SIA about every booking?
No. You notify the SIA about the hall and who's responsible for it. Only certain big events have their own duties.
Who on the committee should do this?
Agree one person to lead it, often the bookings secretary or chair, and record any change of responsible person, because the SIA must be told.
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