Does Martyn's Law apply to my hotel?

What Martyn's Law actually is

Martyn's Law is named after Martyn Hett, one of the 22 people murdered in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017. It asks venues where the public gather to think about what they would do in an attack, in advance, rather than on the night. For most hotels that means simple, written procedures, not new security hardware.

The Act splits qualifying premises into two tiers:

The government's own factsheet puts the standard tier plainly: where the number of individuals, including staff, reasonably expected to be present is between 200 and 799, the premises are in the standard tier.

How a hotel counts to 200

This is where most hotels find they qualify. The test is not your fire capacity and not your busiest night ever. It is the number of people it is reasonable to expect on the premises at the same time, from time to time. For a hotel, that count stacks up quickly:

• guests in your rooms, at two or more to a room
• diners in your restaurant and bar who are not staying
• a wedding or a conference in your function room
• every member of staff on shift

A 90-room property with a function room does not have to be full to clear 200. If you run weddings, parties or conferences at all, assume you are in scope until you have counted properly.

What a standard tier hotel must actually do

The duties are deliberately proportionate. For the standard tier there are two:

1. Notify the Security Industry Authority that you are responsible for qualifying premises. The notification rules were set out in regulations in 2026, and the SIA is building the portal you will use.
2. Have public protection procedures in place: what your team does to keep people safe if an attack happens at or near the hotel. Think evacuation, moving people to safety inside, locking down, and how you tell guests and staff what is happening.

There is no requirement to hire security staff, install new equipment or pay for certification at this tier. The law asks for thought, a plan, and a team that knows it.

When it starts, and why now is the right time anyway

No commencement date has been set. The SIA said in August 2026 that the law will not come into effect until next year, and that now is a good time to start preparing. It also noted, plainly, that the UK's national threat level from terrorism is SEVERE.

So there is time, and the preparation is useful either way. A hotel that knows its numbers, has named its responsible person and has written its procedures down has also just answered half the questions guests, insurers and corporate bookers ask.

The part your front desk already knows

Here is the operational truth inside all of this: a plan only works if the people answering your channels know it. When the law lands, the questions arrive at the front desk and in the inbox. A corporate booker asks what your security procedures are before they confirm the conference. A nervous guest messages at 11pm asking about access. A member of staff on their second shift gets asked where the assembly point is.

That is a written record problem, the same sort of problem hotels already have with allergies, accessibility and parking. Write the facts down once, keep them current, and make sure every channel answers from the same record. Sorino answers your phone, email, chat and social from your own written record. It does not guess, and anything sensitive goes to a person with the conversation attached.

What to do this month

1. Count honestly. Rooms at realistic occupancy, plus food and drink covers, plus your biggest regular function, plus staff on shift. Write the number down.
2. If you are over 200, decide who your responsible person is, in writing.
3. Draft the four procedures: evacuation, moving people to safety inside, lockdown, and communication. One page each is a fine start.
4. Put the facts your team will be asked about into the same written record your channels answer from.
5. Watch for the SIA's notification portal opening, and register when it does.

Frequently asked questions

Does Martyn's Law apply to small hotels? Only if you can reasonably expect 200 or more people, including staff, on site at the same time. A small bed and breakfast will usually be out of scope. A hotel with a function room very often is not.

Do hotel guests count towards the 200? Yes. The count is everyone reasonably expected to be present at the same time: guests, diners, event attendees, visitors and your staff.

When does Martyn's Law come into force? No date has been set. The Security Industry Authority said in August 2026 that the law will not come into effect until next year, and it is telling venues to use the time to prepare.

Will my hotel need to hire security staff? Not for the standard tier. The duties are to notify the regulator and to have proportionate, written public protection procedures your team knows how to follow.

What does Sorino cost? Plans from £299 a month, first month free.

Sources

• Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, c. 10. legislation.gov.uk
• Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025: overarching factsheet. Home Office, 2025. gov.uk
• The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) (Notification Requirements) Regulations 2026, SI 2026/793. legislation.gov.uk
• Martyn's Law: keeping up the momentum. Security Industry Authority, August 2026. gov.uk