Nearly a Decade in the Making – Martyn’s Law: The UK Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025

Law or common sense? That is the “Grande” question.

On 22 May 2017, 29-year-old Martyn Hett, a vibrant and fun-loving young man, attended the Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena. What should have been a joyful evening ended in tragedy when a suicide bomber, Salman Abedi, aided by his brother Hashem, detonated an explosive device in the foyer as thousands of concertgoers were leaving.

The attack killed 22 people and injured 1,017 others — among the victims were children, teenagers, and parents waiting to collect their loved ones. It was the deadliest terrorist attack in the UK since the 2005 London bombings.

In the aftermath, Martyn’s mother, Figen Murray, began a tireless campaign to ensure that public venues adopt stronger security measures. Her advocacy gave rise to what is now known as Martyn’s Law.

What is Martyn’s Law?

Originally introduced as the “Protect Duty,” Martyn’s Law formally became the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. The legislation gained broad support from security experts, including Nick Aldworth, former head of UK counterterrorism, and was passed by Parliament in September 2024 before receiving Royal Assent on 3 April 2025.

The Act requires venues to adopt proportionate security measures based on size and risk, built around four central pillars:

–         Risk assessment for terrorism threats

–         Security checks such as CCTV, bag searches, and controlled entry

–         Emergency response planning including lockdowns and evacuations

–         Staff training to ensure preparedness.

Larger venues face stricter obligations, while smaller premises must implement proportionate safeguards. The goal is to balance public safety with openness, ensuring that shared spaces remain welcoming yet resilient against threats.

Common Sense or Legislation?

Health and safety laws already require businesses to protect employees and customers. Yet what feels like “common sense” in one culture may not be so obvious in another. In today’s interconnected world, legislation often steps in where assumptions fail.

Crime, unlike culture, knows no borders. Consider a warehouse: if someone wanders through an open door, the owner may be liable for their safety. But if a trespasser breaches a clear barrier, liability shifts — intent transforms the act into criminality.

Retail environments illustrate this further. Visible, layered security measures not only deter opportunistic crime but also reassure communities. A protected storefront sends a powerful message: we value safety, we protect our customers, and we safeguard our neighbourhoods. Without such measures, opportunistic crime can take root, paving the way for organized criminal networks to exploit communities later.

A Legacy Born of Tragedy

Martyn’s Law is more than legislation. It is a mother’s determination turned into national policy, a safeguard designed to prevent future tragedies. While its effectiveness will be judged in time, its existence already represents a profound shift: the recognition that protecting public life requires more than hope or “common sense” — it requires commitment, structure, and law.

The four guiding principles of Martyn’s Law closely mirror the established “4 D’s” of security: Deter, Deny, Delay, and Defend. Retailers already invest heavily in risk assessments and inventory protection, with deterrence and denial that should be embedded in everyday operations. Delay measures, in particular, have proven highly effective in preventing crime altogether, while true defence inevitably requires physical barriers—structures that stand guard even after business hours, much like the military’s reliance on fortifications.

But Martyn’s Law is not just about mechanisms; it’s about mindset. Its real purpose is to compel organisers to think beyond profit margins and recognise their duty to the communities they serve—concertgoers, spectators, and local residents alike. Just as retailers should feel compelled to safeguard assets, not only to protect their bottom line but also to preserve the trust and safety of the thousands of shoppers who anchor their neighbourhoods. Communities thrive when stakeholders act as guardians against harm, ensuring resilience rather than decline.

So, is Martyn’s Law legislation or simply common sense?

The answer is foreseeability.

Where people gather, risk exists. Where risk exists, responsibility follows. Martyn’s Law does not simply create that responsibility; it simply ensures that it can no longer be ignored.

That may be the most important legacy of all.

Jurie Botha