How Digital Signage Can Support Martyn’s Law: Enhancing Public Safety with Smart Communication

In an era where public safety is more crucial than ever, the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025—known as Martyn’s Law—is set to transform how venues and organisations prepare for and respond to potential terrorist threats. The law received Royal Assent on Thursday, 3 April 2025, marking a significant step forward in national efforts to improve safety in publicly accessible spaces.

Named in memory of Martyn Hett, one of the 22 victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena attack, this legislation ensures stronger protective measures across a wide range of public venues. Importantly, from the date of Royal Assent, businesses and venues have 24 months to become compliant with the new requirements.

While Martyn’s Law focuses on risk assessments, training, and incident response plans, digital signage can play a pivotal role in supporting compliance—helping inform, guide, and protect the public and staff in real time.

What Does Martyn’s Law Involve?

Martyn’s law introduces legal duties for premises to:

• Assess risks relating to terrorist threats.
• Implement proportionate protective measures based on those risks.
• Train staff on how to respond in the event of an attack.
• Develop and rehearse incident response plans.
• Communicate clearly during emergencies to ensure safety.

These measures will apply to a wide range of publicly accessible locations, including entertainment venues, shopping centres, hospitality settings, education campuses, and places of worship.

How Digital Signage Supports Martyn’s Law

1. Real-Time Emergency Messaging

When a crisis strikes, communication speed can save lives. Digital signage systems can instantly override scheduled content to display emergency messages such as evacuation routes, lockdown alerts, or shelter-in-place instructions. These can be triggered centrally and deployed across multiple zones, ensuring wide visibility.

2. Clear Wayfinding and Dynamic Exit Instructions

In high-pressure situations, clear and up-to-date wayfinding is critical. Digital signage can display dynamic exit routes based on the nature or location of a threat—unlike static signs, which offer no flexibility. This can help reduce panic and guide people toward safety efficiently.

3. Staff Training and Internal Comms

Digital displays in staff-only areas can be used to share training content, protocol updates, or reminders about safety procedures, helping businesses meet the staff preparedness requirements of the Act. Signage ensures that vital training remains consistent and accessible.

4. Public Risk Awareness and Engagement

Day-to-day, digital signage provides a discreet way to engage the public with safety messaging—such as how to report suspicious behaviour, what to do in an emergency, or general reminders that contribute to situational awareness. It’s a smart way to create a culture of alertness without creating fear.

5. Multi-language and Accessible Communication

Inclusivity matters in crisis communication. Digital signage can rotate messages in multiple languages, support visual accessibility needs, and be placed in strategic locations to ensure all visitors understand how to respond in an emergency.

6. Integration with Emergency Systems

When paired with wider building management or security systems, digital signage becomes even more powerful. It can be triggered by fire alarms, access control systems, or facial recognition-based crowd analytics, enabling faster, more context-aware communication.

Supporting Compliance, Enhancing Safety

The countdown to compliance with the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 has begun. Businesses now have 24 months to review, update, and implement the necessary security measures—and digital signage can be a powerful part of that toolkit.

Whether it’s improving evacuation communications, supporting staff training, or educating the public in a non-intrusive way, digital signage offers a flexible, scalable solution to help meet the requirements of Martyn’s Law—and protect lives in the process.

Need help implementing digital signage solutions to support your compliance with Martyn’s Law? Get in touch today to find out how we can help you futureproof your public safety strategy.