Section 9: Safety & security
Introduction
Safety and security are of increasing importance to event organisers when selecting venues / destinations to host their events:
‘Cost and value’ ‘safety and security’ and ‘equity and diversity’ were most important to planners in 2024 and increased in importance when compared to 2023.
(Source: The Business of Events 2024 International Planner Sentiment Report)
Martyn’s Law
Martyn’s Law, known as Protect Duty, is a UK bill that aims to improve the preparedness of public spaces and events for terrorist attacks. It came about following the Manchester Arena terrorist attack in 2017 and is named in tribute of Martyn Hett who was killed in the attack.
The Bill is intended to ensure public premises and events are better prepared for terrorist attacks; requiring them to take reasonably practicable steps, which vary accordingly, to mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack and reduce physical harm. In addition to this, certain larger premises and events must also take steps to reduce the vulnerability of the premises to terrorist attacks. At the time of writing the legislation had not yet been legally mandated.
For more information, please visit the Home Office website.
Crisis management for events
Destinations often have a crisis management plan which indicates the roles of the city council, police and other emergency services and key stakeholders if a major incident were to occur in the destination. This could be a natural disaster, for example, Flooding, earthquake, forest or building fire, major electrical outage. A major attack, for example, Terrorist bombing, shooting, rioting, cyberattack or a major medical incident, for example, Pandemic.
Therefore, it is imperative for destinations to ensure that they are prepared ahead of any crisis and undertake the necessary risk assessments for major business events. Often this is something developed by the police, the venue and the event organiser in the case of major business events such as political party conferences. However, as the Convention Bureau or Business Events Lead in your destination, it would be recommended to ensure you are familiar with any processes or procedures in the result of a major incident.
How would the destination look after any delegates, exhibitors, at the business events venue if, for example, the hotel or venue they are staying in has a major flood or fire? If you ask yourself this question and don t know the answer, then it would be recommended to speak to your local council or police and your venues to establish their protocols and ensure that your team are fully briefed on how to manage any crisis relating to business events. If you are managing the hotel bookings for a client, you may be the first person they contact when something goes wrong, so it is essential to have a process and policy in place to ensure these situations are handled efficiently and accurately.