Guidance
Venue safety guidance
The Venue Record's guides are written for trustees, wardens, clerks and managers rather than for safety professionals. No jargon, no legislation quoted at you, and nothing behind a form.
16 guides
Martyn's Law explained
Who is in scope, the four procedures, penalties and timings.
Fire safetyFire safety records explained
The risk assessment, the logbook, drills and training records.
By venueVillage and community halls
Trustee-run buildings, occasional large events, and the hire problem.
By venueDoes Martyn's Law apply to my village hall?
The one test, how to count, and what the standard tier actually asks of you.
By venueChurches and places of worship
In scope only at 200 or more, and never enhanced tier.
By venueSchools and nurseries
Education settings, existing lockdown plans, and lettings.
RecordsWhat a village hall has to keep
Every safety record in one list, with common retention periods.
RecordsFire risk assessment checklist
The walk-round for a small building, in the five steps, with a printable PDF.
RecordsFire drill records
What to log, how often, and why the problems found matter most.
RecordsFire safety test frequencies
Alarms, emergency lighting, extinguishers, doors and escape routes.
Key topicsHow to work out your capacity
The legal test, floor space factors, and six things venues forget.
Key topicsWho is the responsible person?
Trustee boards, tied pubs, leased halls and schools within a trust.
Key topicsThe four procedures explained
Evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication in detail.
Martyn's LawWhen does Martyn's Law come into force?
Spring 2027 is expected. The timeline so far, and what to do before the date is set.
Martyn's LawMartyn's Law checklist
Every standard tier requirement in order, as a list you can print and tick.
Martyn's LawStandard tier: what is required
200 to 799 people: notify, four procedures, kept current. Nothing to buy or submit.
Martyn's LawEnhanced tier: what is required
800 or more: measures, a documented assessment sent to the SIA, a senior individual.
Martyn's LawPenalties and enforcement
Compliance notices, civil penalties by tier, and the criminal offences.
Martyn's LawNotifying the SIA
Registration is a notification, not an application. Who does it and what to have ready.
Martyn's LawDoes Martyn's Law require training?
No course, no certificate. People who know the procedures, and a record that they do.
Martyn's LawLockdown and invacuation explained
The two procedures most venues have never written, for the building you have.
Martyn's LawThe Act, section by section
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 in plain English.
Martyn's LawMartyn's Law and fire safety
One set of drills, two laws, and where they pull opposite ways.
Martyn's LawPublic protection procedures: templates
A fill-in version of each of the four, with a worked village hall example.
By venuePubs, restaurants and hotels
Beer gardens, function rooms and why the premises licence helps.
By venueRestaurants and cafés
Fire, gas, extraction, food safety and the licence: every record, who does it, how often.
By venueHotels and B&Bs
Sleeping accommodation: fire doors, night drills, annual gas, legionella and the lift.
Key topicsEvents, fetes and festivals
When an event is a qualifying event, and why a fete still counts.
By venueParish and town councils
Council halls, pavilions, parks and events, and who holds the duty.
By venueSports clubs and grounds
Why the clubhouse matters, when grounds are excluded, and match days.
RecordsHow to manage a village hall
The jobs trustees have to keep on top of, with a year-round calendar.
RecordsVillage hall insurance: what the committee must have
One cover is required by law. The rest are required by your lease, funders, hirers and your duty as trustees.
RecordsVillage hall hire agreement: what to put in it
Twelve things it needs, with a model clause for each of the ones that matter.
Nothing matches that. Try a different word, or .
More guides are added as the picture develops. The monthly update is where new guidance gets announced first.