VenuePlan · Martyn's Law guides · Sports clubs
Martyn's Law for sports clubs and clubhouses
Match days, presentation nights and clubhouse parties can take a club well past 200 people. For a standard tier club, getting ready is about clear procedures and briefed volunteers.
Does Martyn's Law apply to you?
- Count the most people that could reasonably be at your premises at once on your busiest days: spectators, players, officials, volunteers and bar staff.
- Think cup games, derbies, junior tournaments, end-of-season presentations and clubhouse hires.
- 200 to 799 people puts you in the standard tier. 800 or more is the enhanced tier. Open-access public parks are excluded, but club grounds where you control access can count, so check the guidance for your ground.
Think of your busiest realistic time: a match day, live music, Christmas or a sunny Saturday.
Add your numbers to see whether Martyn's Law is likely to apply.
A quick guide, not legal advice. The law counts everyone reasonably expected to be there at the same time, including staff and outside areas like beer gardens.
What a standard tier venue has to do
- Tell the SIA about the premises and who's responsible for them. It's free, and you tell them again if the responsible person changes.
- Have four procedures, as far as reasonably practicable: evacuation (getting people out), invacuation (bringing people inside, away from a threat), lockdown (stopping an attacker getting in) and communication (warning people and calling for help).
- Make sure the people working there know them.
No new equipment is required for the standard tier. The duties are expected to start in spring 2027, and the regulator is the Security Industry Authority (SIA).
Who's responsible?
The responsible person is whoever controls the premises for their use. For most clubs that's the club itself, through its committee or board, rather than visiting teams or people hiring the clubhouse.
Things to watch for
Match-day volunteers
Gatemen, stewards and bar volunteers change week to week. Everyone on duty needs to know the plan, so sign them off as they join.
Clubhouse hire
If members or locals hire the clubhouse for parties, the club stays responsible. Brief the person in charge of each booking.
Pitch-side and car park
Plan where people go if they need to leave, or get inside, from the pitch side as well as the clubhouse.
Tournaments and big games
An event for 800+ people that checks tickets or takes payment on entry counts as enhanced tier. Check before a big cup tie or festival.
How VenuePlan gets you ready
- Tier check using your real match-day numbers, saved with the date as evidence
- Procedures with suggested answers written for clubs, which you edit to fit
- Volunteer sign-off by QR code in the clubhouse or a text link, about 3 minutes each
- A hirer briefing card for clubhouse bookings, and a big-event check
See exactly what you get
A sample plan for an example venue, with all four procedures and the staff quick card.
Download sample plan (PDF)Questions
Our ground is mostly open fields. Does it count?
Open-access parks with no checks on entry are excluded. A club ground where you control who comes in can be in scope, so count your busiest days and check the official guidance.
Do we need stewards or bag searches?
Not for the standard tier. You need procedures, to notify the SIA and to make sure your people know what to do.
When do we need to be ready?
The duties are expected to start in spring 2027, so getting it done this season means volunteers are briefed in time.
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