ICC Wales welcomes the passing of Martyn’s Law (Protect Duty) and commends Figen Murray OBE on her tireless work to increase security measures in public places to prevent terrorist attacks.
This landmark new legislation follows six years of determined campaigning by Figen to ensure lessons were learned from the 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack in which her son, Martyn Hett, was one of the 22 victims who tragically lost their lives.
As a leading convention centre committed to safety and security, ICC Wales has been a strong advocate for Martyn’s Law since early 2022, supporting Figen’s mission for venues to step up their security provision to keep staff and visitors safe from harm.
The venue has led industry-wide initiatives to educate and advocate for safety measures, including chairing working groups, organising masterclasses, and developing resources to close knowledge gaps.
These efforts have resulted in widespread recognition, earning ICC Wales numerous plaudits including the ICCA Best Marketing Award and the ABPCO Excellence Best Legacy Award. ICC Wales Sales Director Danielle Bounds was also named Personality of the Year at the 2024 M&IT Awards and scooped an Outstanding Contribution Award at the 2024 ABPCO (The Association of British Professional Conference Organisers) Excellence Awards for her leadership role on Martyn’s Law.
“Martyn’s Law is a significant step forward in making venues safer for everyone, and we wholeheartedly welcome this new legislation,” said Julie Hammond, Chief Executive of ICC Wales and The Celtic Collection.
“At ICC Wales we have always placed security at the heart of our operations, and we are proud to have supported Figen Murray in her quest to bring about this change. Her unwavering dedication has been truly inspirational and today marks a momentous achievement for her and for public safety across the UK.”
Now Martyn’s Law has been signed by the King, venues will have a two-year implementation period to become fully compliant, but ICC Wales already has in place most of the key security requirements. These include CCTV coverage of all public areas, all events assessed against risk, bag checking and access monitoring in place for all public events, Action Counter Terrorism training for all staff, and all floor management staff will be Security Industry Authority trained by the end of 2025.
