Martyn's Law for pubs & bars.
Martyn's Law applies to publicly accessible premises used for a qualifying activity where 200+ people may be present at the same time. Food & drink (pub, bar, café, restaurant) counts as a qualifying use — so whether your pub is in scope comes down to how many people could realistically be present, including staff.
When are pubs & bars in scope?
A quiet pub can hit 200+ on a match day, festival or function — counted including staff — which can bring it into scope.
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 licensee or general manager.
- Live music nights, sports screenings and beer gardens change how many people are present.
- Staff turnover is high, so a live briefing record matters more than a one-off document.
- Procedures need to cover busy, noisy environments where alarms may be hard to hear.
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 pub 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.
Start the free check