What is the enhanced tier?

Premises where 800 or more people may reasonably be expected at the same time, and qualifying events of 800 or more where entry is controlled by ticket or permission. Large hotels, arenas, big nightclubs, major visitor attractions, large shopping centres, stadiums, festivals.

What are public protection measures?

Measures, beyond procedures, that reduce the vulnerability of the premises to an attack or the harm if one happens, in four areas: monitoring the premises and its surroundings, the movement of people into, out of and within the premises, the physical safety and security of the premises, and the security of information about the premises. What is appropriate depends on the premises; the test is what is reasonably practicable.

Does an enhanced tier premises have to send anything to the SIA?

Yes. A document setting out the procedures and measures in place, with an assessment of how they reduce vulnerability and harm, is provided to the regulator, and updated when it changes.

Who is the senior individual?

Where the responsible person is an organisation, a named individual in its senior management who is accountable for the duties. The idea is that compliance has a name at board level, not just a security manager's.

Can an enhanced tier premises be prosecuted?

Yes. Alongside civil penalties of up to £18 million or 5% of worldwide revenue, failing to comply with a compliance notice or a restriction notice at enhanced tier is a criminal offence, as is giving the regulator false or misleading information.

Our venue is 800 only on a few nights a year. Which tier?

The test is what is reasonable to expect, not the average. If your busiest nights reach 800, you are enhanced tier for the premises, unless those nights are structured as qualifying events in their own right. Take advice on the structure; it matters.

Martyn's Law enhanced tier: what is required (800 or more)

The enhanced tier is where Martyn's Law asks for more than procedures. From 800 people, the premises must also have measures in place, document both with an assessment, send that document to the regulator, and name a senior individual accountable for it. Penalties rise from thousands to millions, and some failures become criminal. This page sets out the duties and what they look like in practice for a hotel, an arena or a festival.

Who is in the enhanced tier

Premises used for a Schedule 1 purpose where it is reasonable to expect 800 or more people present at the same time, counting everyone on the whole premises including grounds. And qualifying events: events of 800 or more held at premises or land where entry is controlled by ticket, pass or express permission, such as festivals, outdoor concerts, and large ticketed shows in grounds that are not otherwise in scope. Places of worship and schools are standard tier whatever their size, unless the use changes (a cathedral charging for a concert is a different question).

For most operators the hard part is the count on the busiest trading night, including a function suite, a terrace and the staff. The capacity guide and the pubs, restaurants and hotels guide work through it.

The duties

Notify the SIA, as at standard tier, including the fact that the premises are enhanced tier.
Public protection procedures: the same four as standard tier (evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, communication), so far as reasonably practicable.
Public protection measures, so far as reasonably practicable, in four areas: monitoring (of the premises and the immediate vicinity, for example CCTV, patrols, staff briefed to notice), movement of people (queuing, entry and exit control, searches where appropriate), physical safety and security (the fabric of the building, doors, vehicle mitigation where relevant), and security of information (who can see floor plans, security arrangements, staffing patterns).
The document: a written statement of the procedures and measures, and an assessment of how they are expected to reduce the vulnerability of the premises to an attack and the risk of physical harm if one happens. Provided to the regulator, and again when it materially changes.
A senior individual: where the responsible person is a body rather than a person, a named member of senior management responsible for ensuring the duties are met.
Keep it current: reviewed when the premises, the use, or the threat picture changes.

What it looks like for a hotel with a 1,000-seat function suite

A security lead with a named director above them. A documented assessment, usually prepared with a counter-terrorism security adviser or a competent consultant, covering the building, its entrances, its public areas and the way events are run. Procedures that the night porter, the banqueting team and the agency staff on a wedding all know. Measures proportionate to the risk: briefed staff who watch, controlled entry on event nights, a plan for vehicles at the drop-off, and a tight circle around the floor plans. A record of all of it, with dates and names, because the document the regulator holds has to match what is actually in place when an inspector visits.

Standard and enhanced side by side

	Standard tier	Enhanced tier
Who	200 to 799; places of worship and schools whatever the size	800 or more; qualifying events of 800 or more
Procedures	Four, reasonably practicable	Four, reasonably practicable
Measures	None required	Monitoring, movement, physical security, information security
Document to regulator	No	Yes: procedures, measures and an assessment
Senior individual	No	Yes, where the responsible person is a body
Maximum civil penalty	£10,000, up to £500 a day	£18m or 5% of worldwide revenue, up to £50,000 a day
Criminal offences	No (except false information)	Yes: failing to comply with a compliance or restriction notice

Common questions

What is the enhanced tier?: Premises where 800 or more people may reasonably be expected at the same time, and qualifying events of 800 or more where entry is controlled by ticket or permission. Large hotels, arenas, big nightclubs, major visitor attractions, large shopping centres, stadiums, festivals.
What are public protection measures?: Measures, beyond procedures, that reduce the vulnerability of the premises to an attack or the harm if one happens, in four areas: monitoring the premises and its surroundings, the movement of people into, out of and within the premises, the physical safety and security of the premises, and the security of information about the premises. What is appropriate depends on the premises; the test is what is reasonably practicable.
Does an enhanced tier premises have to send anything to the SIA?: Yes. A document setting out the procedures and measures in place, with an assessment of how they reduce vulnerability and harm, is provided to the regulator, and updated when it changes.
Who is the senior individual?: Where the responsible person is an organisation, a named individual in its senior management who is accountable for the duties. The idea is that compliance has a name at board level, not just a security manager's.
Can an enhanced tier premises be prosecuted?: Yes. Alongside civil penalties of up to £18 million or 5% of worldwide revenue, failing to comply with a compliance notice or a restriction notice at enhanced tier is a criminal offence, as is giving the regulator false or misleading information.
Our venue is 800 only on a few nights a year. Which tier?: The test is what is reasonable to expect, not the average. If your busiest nights reach 800, you are enhanced tier for the premises, unless those nights are structured as qualifying events in their own right. Take advice on the structure; it matters.

The document the regulator holds has to match the building on the day.

The Venue Record keeps the procedures, the measures and the assessment as dated, confirmed versions, with a record of who has read each one and a log of every drill and check behind them. When the inspector asks to see it all, it is one link, and it matches.

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A plain-English summary of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 and the Home Office statutory guidance, written for the people who run premises. The Act is not yet in force and regulations may change the detail. It is not legal advice. The Venue Record is independent and is not connected to, endorsed by or approved by the Home Office, the Security Industry Authority or any government body.