Martyn's Law for shops and retail stores

Larger stores, supermarkets and department stores can easily hold 200 or more customers and staff at once. The standard tier asks you to think and plan, not to rebuild.

Working out your number

Count customers on the shop floor at your busiest trading period, plus staff in back-of-house areas.

What good procedures look like

Evacuation

Plan routes from every part of the store, including fitting rooms, stockrooms and upper floors.

Invacuation

Stockrooms and staff areas are often the safest places to move customers if the danger is outside.

Lockdown

Know how shutters and doors are secured quickly, and who is responsible on each shift.

Communication

Decide how a warning reaches customers on every floor, using the public address system if you have one.

Get procedures written for your shop or store

Answer questions about your layout, exits and staffing, and your pack turns them into procedures and a staff briefing for your premises.

See the packs

Does Martyn’s Law apply to your venue?

Five quick questions. About a minute. A preliminary check, not legal advice.

1. What type of premises is it?

2. Is that the main use of the building, or the part of it you control?

3. How many people could reasonably be present at the same time, at your busiest?Include staff, contractors and volunteers. Count regular busy times, not a one-off you could not expect.

people

4. How many premises?

5. Do you hold events for 800 or more people?

Choose your type of premises to see your result.

A guide only, based on the Act and Home Office guidance. Your tier depends on the full rules, including exclusions and premises within larger premises.