Health, Safety & Security for the Events & Night-time Economy.
The live music, events and night-time industries are uniquely dynamic. Venues, promoters, artists, crew and contractors often work across multiple organisations — sometimes as employees, sometimes freelance, sometimes as volunteers. That flexibility is part of what makes the industry great. It’s also what makes health, safety and security more complex to manage than in most other sectors.
When things are well organised, the dynamic nature of the industry is rarely a problem. But when something goes wrong — and it does go wrong — the consequences can be catastrophic. Poor documentation, unclear responsibilities and gaps in training can turn an incident into a prosecution.
THE STAKES ARE REAL
Manchester Arena, May 2017
- The bombing at the Ariana Grande concert killed 22 people and injured over 1,000. The subsequent public inquiry identified serious failures in security arrangements, venue management and communication. Its findings were instrumental in the creation of Martyn’s Law.
Brixton Academy, December 2022
- Two people died following a crowd crush in the venue foyer. The venue lost its licence for over a year. Criminal investigations remain active.
These are not isolated cases. Incidents in dynamic, people-facing environments can have devastating consequences — for individuals, for organisations, and for the industry as a whole.
Martyn’s Law
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 — known as Martyn’s Law — received Royal Assent in April 2025. It places new requirements on those responsible for venues and events to consider terrorism risk and implement appropriate protective measures. Full enforcement is expected from approximately April 2027.
Specific mandatory training requirements under Martyn’s Law have not yet been published. However, the SFJ Awards Level 3 Award in Counter-Terrorism Protective Security and Preparedness — the only qualification endorsed by Counter-Terrorism Policing and NaCTSO — has been designed specifically to support organisations in preparing for the Act’s requirements. Importantly, no single qualification or training course makes an organisation fully compliant — compliance is broader than that — but this qualification provides a strong foundation from which to build a CT (counter terrorism) risk assessment and preparedness plan.
Gigsavvy can support you with both Martyn’s Law preparation and access to this training.
Read the full Martyn’s Law guidance →
TRAINING FOR THE INDUSTRY
- Gigsavvy delivers IOSH-accredited training and industry-specific e-learning designed around the realities of working in events and the night-time economy — dynamic workforces, multiple venues, freelance contractors, and the constant need to demonstrate due diligence.
- Our eight bitesize e-learning courses cover health and safety fundamentals, security awareness, EDI, safeguarding and neurodiversity — a practical baseline of competence for anyone working in the industry.
- For managers and supervisors, IOSH Managing Safely provides the foundation for organisation-wide health and safety management.
Explore our e-learning → or Explore IOSH training →
THE GIGSAVVY PLATFORM
- The Gigsavvy Platform brings training, compliance management, a verified professional directory and an events diary together in one place — built around the way this industry actually works.
- Individuals and organisations on the platform have demonstrated a verified minimum level of competence in health, safety and security. That matters when you’re hiring freelancers, building a team for an event, or demonstrating due diligence to a licensing authority or insurer.
Find out more about the Platform →
GET IN TOUCH
- Whether you’re a venue, a promoter, a freelance professional or a contractor — we can help you work out the right starting point.