Guide ยท Updated 6 November 2026
Martyn's Law for nightclubs and late bars
Short answer: almost every nightclub and late bar will be in scope. If you can reasonably expect 200 to 799 people inside at the same time on your busiest night, you are in the Standard Tier. At 800 or more you are in the Enhanced Tier, which brings heavier duties.
Count your busiest night, not an average one
The test is the number of people you can reasonably expect at the same time, staff included. For a club that usually means:
- Friday and Saturday peaks, bank holidays and New Year's Eve
- student nights, guest DJs and private hire
- smoking areas, terraces and any outdoor space inside your boundary
Your premises licence capacity or fire risk assessment is the usual starting point. If your licence says 650, you are Standard Tier even if most Thursdays are quiet.
Standard Tier: 200 to 799 people
You need to notify the Security Industry Authority (SIA) and have public protection procedures, so far as reasonably practicable, for:
- evacuation: getting people out, away from the danger
- invacuation: bringing people inside, or to a safer part of the building
- lockdown: securing doors to stop an attacker getting in
- communication: how staff warn customers over loud music, in the dark, in a crowd
Clubs have a head start. You already have door staff, radios, a PA system and a fire evacuation plan. The work is turning those into written procedures that every shift knows, including bar staff and the DJ who controls the microphone.
Enhanced Tier: 800 people or more
Large clubs and venues must do everything above plus put public protection measures in place, covering monitoring, movement, physical security and information security. Where the responsible person is a company, it must designate a senior individual, and it must document its arrangements for the SIA. The VenueReady pack covers the Standard Tier only. If you are 800 or over, a specialist security consultant is the right route.
Questions clubs ask
Do we need extra door staff or bag searches? Not for the Standard Tier. It is about procedures and a trained team, not equipment or extra headcount.
Who is the Responsible Person? Whoever controls the premises for the club's use. That is usually the operating company or the premises licence holder, not a doorman or a promoter.
What about one-off events of 800 or more? A qualifying event with 800 or more people and controlled entry has Enhanced Tier duties of its own, even if the venue is normally smaller.
Want it done for you? Answer one 15-minute questionnaire and we write your Standard Tier procedures, Responsible Person record, staff briefing sheet and record log, delivered within 3 working days.
General information based on the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 and the Home Office and SIA guidance as at 6 November 2026. Not legal advice. Official sources: SIA: Understanding Martyn's Law and ProtectUK.
More guides: all Martyn's Law guides.