Martyn's Law for leisure centres.
Martyn's Law applies to publicly accessible premises used for a qualifying activity where 200+ people may be present at the same time. Entertainment & leisure (cinema, theatre, nightclub) counts as a qualifying use — so whether your leisure centre is in scope comes down to how many people could realistically be present, including staff.
When are leisure centres in scope?
Term-time evenings, swim galas and holiday programmes can take a centre past 200 including staff.
The threshold counts the most people reasonably expected at once — including staff — even if that only happens occasionally. Check it against fire occupancy, ticketing or past event records, and record your decision either way. Typically the responsible person is the duty manager.
- Pools, gyms, courts and classes mean people are spread across very different spaces.
- Peak times and galas push attendance up sharply.
- Communication needs to reach people who may not hear a standard alarm (e.g. in the pool).
Evacuation
Getting people safely away from the premises.
Invacuation
Moving people into, or to a safer part of, the premises when leaving is not safer.
Lockdown
Restricting access to, or movement within, the premises.
Communication
Alerting people on the premises and sharing clear information quickly.
Get your leisure centre sorted in about an hour
PremiseReady walks you through the scope decision, the four procedures and a staff sign-off log — then exports a tidy evidence pack. Enforcement expected Spring 2027.
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