The DSC Events & Venues Toolkit provides a practical framework to help venues and event organisers understand risk, coordinate activity and make informed decisions in real-world environments. Built with the intent of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (Martyn’s Law) in mind, but extending beyond it, the Toolkit addresses the wider operational reality of events and venues, including risks beyond the immediate site. Structured across the full lifecycle – from planning and readiness through to response, recovery and return to normality – it offers proportionate, scalable guidance for Responsible Persons, organisers and venue teams at all levels, from grassroots events to large-scale operations. A practical, working resource that supports day-to-day decision-making, not just planning. See here for a preview of the contents pages: Contents – DSC Events and Venues Toolkit
Pay £15 to order your toolkit or £24 for the resource bundle.
Background and Context
The Decision Support Centre (DSC) Toolkit has been developed to support venues, events and organisations in strengthening how they approach safety, security and preparedness in real-world environments.
It recognises that risk is rarely static or contained. It is shaped by people, place, timing and the wider operating environment, and is often managed across multiple teams, partners and agencies.
The Toolkit provides a structured but flexible framework to help organisations:
While informed by the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (Martyn’s Law), the Toolkit is not limited to legislative requirements. It is designed to support how preparedness is applied in practice, not just how it is documented.
As expectations around public safety continue to evolve, the DSC Toolkit supports organisations of all sizes – from grassroots community events to large-scale venues – in building confidence, clarity and consistency in how they prepare for and respond to risk.
Toolkit Scope and Structure
The Toolkit is organised around the key components of effective preparedness, reflecting the full lifecycle of planning, readiness, response and recovery.
Each section is written in accessible, operational language and designed to scale according to the nature, capacity and complexity of the venue or event.
Key areas include:
Leadership and the Responsible Person
Guidance on how responsibility is understood and applied in practice, including the relationship between responsibility, control and influence, and how this operates across teams and partners.
Preparedness and Risk Management
Practical approaches to identifying and understanding risk, including factors beyond the immediate site, and applying proportionate, context-led measures.
People, Training and Readiness
Approaches to building capability across teams, including awareness, briefings and structured development of confidence in roles and procedures.
Validation of Process (VoP)
A structured approach to testing how systems operate in practice, focusing on Business as Usual (BAU) conditions to identify gaps, assumptions and dependencies before they are relied upon.
Readiness and Exercising
A range of proportionate methods – including tabletop exercises, walkthroughs, simulations and live exercises – to support the transition from planning into practical application, including the full lifecycle from BAU to response and recovery.
Business Continuity and Operational Resilience
Guidance on maintaining safe and controlled operations during disruption, with a focus on critical functions, decision-making and recovery.
Incident Response and Recovery
Structured approaches to recognising, responding to and managing incidents, including coordination, communication and transition back to normal operations.
Collaboration and Coordination Tools
Practical tools to support shared situational awareness, structured communication and effective coordination across teams and agencies.
Communication Planning
Frameworks and templates to support clear, consistent communication before, during and after incidents, including internal coordination and external engagement.
Physical and Technical Measures
Proportionate and practical interventions suitable for a range of environments, from simple controls to more structured arrangements.
Incident Response Playbooks
Scenario-based guidance to support consistent and informed responses across a range of potential incidents.
Documentation and Organisational Learning
Tools and templates to support consistency, decision logging, review and continuous improvement.
Application and Benefits
The Toolkit is designed for practical, day-to-day use across the public, private and voluntary sectors.
It supports organisations in moving from planning to application by providing clear, usable tools that can be adapted to their operational reality.
Key benefits include:
The Toolkit is intended to complement existing guidance and frameworks, helping organisations translate expectations into practical action.
It also integrates with wider DSC resources, including the National Events Database (NED), providing additional context, visibility and support where required.
