CCTV & Invacuation: How The Martyn’s Law Update is Reshaping Venue Security in the UK

In April 2025 the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (more commonly known as Martyn’s Law,) received Royal Assent and marked a key milestone in the United Kingdom’s approach to venue security. For business owners operating publicly accessible venues such as hospitality sites, entertainment centres, sports halls or retail outlets, it shifts the landscape. 

In this article we will delve into the wider implications of Martyn’s Law in 2025 and beyond, with a particular focus on how CCTV and invacuation (also known as ‘safe-in‐place’ procedures) become essential components of your venue’s security strategy. 

What Is Martyn’s Law And Why Does It Matter? 

Martyn’s Law applies to ‘qualifying premises’ and ‘qualifying events’ in which it is reasonable to expect 200 or more people present from time to time.  

A tiered duty framework has been introduced: 

• The standard tier for premises where 200–799 individuals may reasonably be present. 

• The enhanced tier for premises where 800 or more individuals may be present and events with similar thresholds.  

Under the Act, those responsible for premises must adopt “public protection procedures” (for example evacuation, lockdown or invacuation) and, on an enhanced duty basis, consider physical protective measures such as CCTV, access control and vehicle screening. For the business owner this means your security planning can no longer rely only on “business as usual” risk assessments, it is crucial to now factor in the evolving terrorist threat, ensuring you are ‘reasonably practicable’ in what you do by embedding the right technology and procedures. 

The Role Of CCTV Under Martyn’s Law 

For premises that fall into the enhanced tier, CCTV is explicitly recognised as an example of an “appropriate measure” that might be required to reduce vulnerability. But even outside an enhanced tier, CCTV plays multiple key roles in compliance: 

1. Deterrence – Visible surveillance systems make it more difficult for a hostile actor to act unseen and may make your premises a less attractive target. 

1. Detection – High-quality CCTV can help identify unusual behaviour, suspicious loitering, bag drop risks or unauthorised access, enabling early intervention. 

1. Response and investigation – In the event of an attack, or attempted incident, CCTV footage supports rapid identification of location, movement of individuals, and allows your security or emergency teams to act with clearer situational awareness. 

1. Documentation of compliance – For enhanced tier premises you will need to produce and retain documentation of the measures you have taken and show that they are reasonably practicable. CCTV is physical evidence of one such measure.  

When planning your CCTV solution, you should consider strategic placement (entry/exit points, crowd pinch-points, high-traffic corridors), integration with other security systems (access control, alarm triggers), image quality (HD, low light, wide dynamic range) and retention/monitoring policies. A well-designed CCTV system is not simply an add-on – it becomes part of how a venue meets its duty under Martyn’s Law. 

Invacuation (Safe-In-Place) And Evacuation: Procedural Necessity 

While physical security measures are important, Martyn’s Law places equal emphasis on procedural readiness. The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) guidance on “Evacuation, Invacuation and Lockdown” outlines how premises must prepare for a variety of scenarios including terrorist incidents, hostile vehicle attacks or active shooters.  

What Is Invacuation?  

It is the process of moving people to a safe area within the building (or site) rather than evacuating outside. In some scenarios where the threat is outside the premises, evacuation may actually increase risk by exposing people to the attacker. The guidance emphasises that your venue must consider evacuation, invacuation and lockdown, and decide which is most appropriate given your layout and threat profile. 

Why Is This Critical Under Martyn’s Law? 

• For standard tier premises, you must have in place public protection procedures -including invacuation or evacuation procedures as needed. 

• For enhanced tier premises the requirement is stronger: you must assess vulnerability and take physical measures in addition to having documented procedures. That means your CCTV, access control, invacuation zones and evacuation routes must all be considered as part of your risk management. 

From a practical business‐owner perspective, you should ensure that: 

• Your floor-plans identify safe zones, assembly points, secure internal rooms and exit routes. 

• Your staff are trained and aware of their roles in each scenario (evacuation, invacuation, lockdown). 

• Your CCTV system links into these procedures (eg monitoring safe-in-place rooms, crowd routes). 

• You regularly test your procedures through drills or simulation. 

How CCTV And Invacuation Tie Together Under Martyn’s Law 

Putting it all together: CCTV and invacuation procedures are deeply interconnected in the Martyn’s Law regime. Consider the following steps: 

• A surveillance system identifies a suspicious bag or behaviour. 

• The incident is escalated via monitoring, triggering the security team to initiate invacuation of the affected zone (rather than whole-site evacuation). 

• Staff move occupants into pre-identified safe-in-place rooms while CCTV continues to monitor both the movement of people and the suspect element. 

• Communications systems (alarms, PA, signage) inform staff of the situation and direct actions. 

• After the immediate threat is contained, CCTV footage supports post-incident review, evidence collection and documentation for compliance. 

By having both hardware (CCTV) and procedures (invacuation/evacuation) aligned, you demonstrate that you have considered both how you respond and how you reduce the vulnerability which is exactly what the legislation expects. 

What You Should Do Now As A Business Owner 

1. Determine your tier: assess whether your premises could reasonably expect 200 or more people, or 800 or more people, and therefore whether you fall into standard or enhanced duty. The thresholds depend on people “from time to time” and not necessarily every day.  

1. Appoint a responsible person: someone in your organisation who takes lead responsibility for Martyn’s Law compliance (and for enhanced tier you must designate a senior individual).  

1. Conduct a risk assessment: review vulnerabilities, crowd flows, access routes, potential threat vectors (vehicle attacks, unauthorised entry) and document mitigating measures. 

1. Plan and document your procedures: evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, communication plans and highlight how your CCTV system and monitoring will support those procedures. 

1. Invest in appropriate CCTV and security systems: ensure your surveillance is up to standard, covers the right zones, integrates with response measures. 

1. Train and test your team: regular drills, scenario planning, reviews of your CCTV footage to ensure it aligns with your security procedures. 

1. Keep records and review: as the regulator (Security Industry Authority) begins full operations, they will expect appropriate documentation and evidence of reasonably practicable measures. 

Why Working With A Specialist Matters 

For many business owners CCTV and security design may feel complex. But failing to act leaves you vulnerable to not only security risk but also regulatory risk under Martyn’s Law. Partnering with a specialist installer ensures your CCTV system is designed with the correct coverage, aligns with invacuation and evacuation routes, and integrates with alarm/PA/monitoring systems – giving you confidence that you are compliant, well-prepared and demonstrating due diligence. 

Prepare for Martyn’s Law with Lee Fire and Security 

Martyn’s Law does more than change the security checklist — it changes the mindset. Security for publicly accessible venues must now factor in proactive threat mitigation, not just fire safety or crowd management. CCTV and invacuation procedures sit at the heart of that new approach. By focusing on both the physical systems (surveillance, access control) and the human/operational side (safe-in-place, drills, staff awareness) you are positioning your business to meet 2025’s security demands with clarity and confidence. 

If you are a business owner or part of senior management in a school looking to review or upgrade your CCTV in invacuation readiness, get in touch with Lee Fire & Security today. Our experts specialise in designing and installing security systems tailored for UK-based venues and can work with you to ensure your surveillance, monitoring and procedural readiness align with the new legislative expectations. Contact us today to secure your premises for tomorrow.