Does it apply to your hall?
The Act applies to a building mainly used for a Schedule 1 use, where it is reasonable to expect 200 or more people may be present at the same time, from time to time (s.2(2)).
Village halls usually fall under "halls etc.": use as a venue for hire, an exhibition hall or a conference centre, where the events are principally for the benefit of visiting members of the public (Sch 1 para 6). Limiting entry to ticket holders or members and their guests does not stop people counting as members of the public (Sch 1 para 18).
Count everyone at your busiest regular occasion, including committee members, hirers' helpers and volunteers: the annual show, a dance, a wedding reception, a polling day. Many small halls will be under 200. If you are, keep a short note of how you worked that out.
A hall where 200–799 people may be present is Standard Tier. 800 or more would be Enhanced Tier, which is rare for village halls (s.2(3)).
Check your hall in two minutes with our free scope checker.
Who is responsible?
The person who has control of the premises (s.4(1)). For many halls that will be the management committee or charity trustees. If control is shared, for example with a parish council that owns the building, each may be responsible and you can act jointly (s.4(4)). Hirers do not usually take over your duty, but your hire agreement should tell them what your procedures are.
What you have to do (Standard Tier)
So far as is reasonably practicable, have appropriate procedures for evacuation, invacuation (moving people to a safer place inside), lockdown and communication if there is reason to suspect an act of terrorism is happening or about to happen (s.5). Make sure the people who would carry them out are informed and, where appropriate, trained, and notify the SIA within three months of the duties starting, using its free service (Notification Requirements Regulations 2026). The notification asks for the most people you expect at once and how you worked that out, so keep a note of your counting. No physical alterations are required at Standard Tier.
What the four procedures might look like in a hall
Examples to help you think, not legal requirements:
- Evacuation: use your existing fire exits and assembly point, but choose one away from the road and car park if the threat is outside.
- Invacuation: the kitchen, a back room or a store that can be shut. Know how many it holds.
- Lockdown: who holds the keys during a hire, and which doors can be locked from inside quickly.
- Communication: how the person in charge of an event tells the room, and who calls 999.
Making it work with hirers
Your biggest risk is that the people present on the night are not your volunteers. Two simple fixes:
- add a one-page summary of your procedures to the hire pack, and ask the hirer to name a person in charge for the event
- put a QR code or notice by the main door so the person in charge can read the procedures on their phone
Checklist
- Check whether you are in scope and keep a dated note of your reasoning
- Confirm who has control: committee, trustees, owner, or a mix
- Write short procedures for the four areas
- Add a summary to your hire agreement and hire pack
- Brief key holders and regular volunteers, and record it
- Write down how you worked out your maximum number of people (for example seats plus standing room, staff and volunteers)
- Notify the SIA within three months of the duties starting (it is free)
- Review once a year, at the AGM