Your complete exhibitor guide to HRC Show London
Build a stand with impact at HRC Show
30 March – 1 April 2026, ExCeL London
HRC show (Hotel, Restaurant and Catering) is back from 30th March – 1st April 2026 at ExCeL London, bringing the heat with the industry’s top brands. As the star of Food, Drink & Hospitality Week, HRC is the place where the boldest ideas meet the biggest names. Over 25,000 hungry buyers are ready to make their business moves, and this is your chance to get in front of them.
Over three packed days, you’ll meet industry professionals from the hotel, restaurant, catering, and pub sectors – all looking to discover the latest products, services, and innovations. Exhibitors include big names from across the hotel, restaurant, catering and pub industry like Hilton, Greene King, Sodexo, NHS, Firmdale Hotels and Alexandra Palace, to name but a few.
HRC is a brilliant platform for raising your brand’s profile. If you’re looking to network, promote your products, and grow your business, get yourself a stand at this fantastic show.
Need a price for your HRC Show stand?
How to make HRC 2026 a successful exhibition for your business
Before you commit to exhibiting, start by getting clear on your goals. Are you looking to boost brand awareness, generate quality leads, or connect with buyers ready to place orders? A focused plan will help you get the best return from your stand investment.
Next, set a realistic budget. You need funds for both the stand space and the stand itself – plus extras like displays, demo areas, furniture, and tech – kitchen and storage if you’re doing food. A great stand doesn’t have to be huge or expensive, but the design needs careful thought if you want to make a strong impression without overspending.
Live demos and working kitchens can pull a crowd but they take planning. From power and kit to compliance and paperwork, we can handle the details so you don’t have to – just let us know what you have in mind.
Once your goals are set, decide how you’ll measure success. Is it 50 strong leads? Or 10 decision-makers ready to buy? Specific targets help you stay focused and evaluate your ROI.
Finally, you need to put together an exhibition brief. A clear, detailed brief keeps your whole project on track, whether you’re working with us or going it alone.
We’ve helped plenty of small and medium brands, niche specialists, and big names who’ve all felt that same “Where-on-earth-do-I-start?” overwhelm. That’s why we made our free guide to the perfect exhibition stand brief – it’s been a lifesaver for many of our customers.
Get your HRC 2026 off to the best possible start by writing a perfect stand brief.
At HRC events we’ve seen brands make a big impact with creative stand designs, fun demos, and plenty of energy – even in small spaces. If you’re planning to cook or run demos, it’s worth thinking ahead. You’ll need water, electricity, and the right kit to show your food at its best. That’s where we help – we sort all the logistics, so you can focus on drawing people in and making the most of the show.”
Ed Marshall, Motive Exhibitions Creative Director
Need an exhibition partner for HRC Show in London?
We’ve built a reputation for designing and building eye–catching stands that get you noticed.
Whether you need space for live product demos, hands-on displays, or an interactive high-tech setup, we know how to create a stand that showcases your brand at its best.
Each stand we build is custom-designed to highlight what makes your brand unique, and attract your ideal customers.
Whether you need an operational kitchen, dynamic design or interactive technology, we’re experts at showcasing your products and services in unique ways.
Every stand we create is one-of-a-kind, carefully designed to highlight what sets you apart from the competition, and will keep those all-important buyers coming back for more.
Make HRC a success for your business with a Motive Exhibitions stand.
Explore your exhibition stand options for HRC 2026
ExCeL London is one of Europe’s largest and most exciting exhibition venues. With a wide range of floorplan options, the sky’s the limit when it comes to design.
Here are our top available stands for HRC:
The best option to get their attention. Built from the ground up to match your brand and business goals, a bespoke stand gives you complete access to the brilliant creative brains of our design and build team.
Whether you opt for a single or double-deck stand, bold graphics, interactive elements, or a sleek product showcase – we don’t do ordinary. Bespoke is the best choice for brands with big ideas and big goals.
A flexible, cost-effective solution, modular stands can be reconfigured for different events.
Made up of interlocking components, they create a seamless, professional display without the price tag of a fully custom build. Ideal for venues like ExCeL London, where space comes at a premium.
We’ve designed a huge range of high-impact modular stands that have wowed ExCeL visitors over the years. Ideal if you’re not ready to invest in a permanent stand – you can combine modular frameworks with custom features without the higher cost of buying a permanent display.
Shell scheme exhibition stands are a budget-friendly option. They may be smaller, coming in sizes 3m x 3m to 6m x 3m or 8m x 3m, but they still offer plenty of room to get creative.
Shell schemes include flooring, lighting, and power (500 watts). Ideal if you’re a first-time exhibitor or testing the waters of a specific event.
Exhibition stand hire
If you’re not ready to commit to a permanent stand, our exhibition hire service is the perfect solution.
You can rent an entire modular stand, furniture or just specific pieces, or even mix and match custom-made elements with rented items.
Hiring is both cost-effective and sustainable – a great budget-friendly choice, especially if this is your first big show.
Can’t decide which stand to opt for?
Everything you need to know about exhibiting at ExCeL London
The ExCeL has earned its reputation as one of the top exhibition centres in the world – not least because of its size. The venue can accommodate up to 70,000 visitors at once and welcomes over 4 million guests each year. We’ve worked at ExCeL for years, so we know how to make your stand work hard in a huge venue like this.
And it’s one of our favourite places to work, especially because it’s so accessible. From our office, just off the A1, we can reach the venue in about 90 minutes (which is ideal as we’re setting up stands there nearly every week!)
Part of a significant redevelopment project in London’s historic dock area, The ExCeL whopping 100,000m² of floor space divided into two massive event halls. There’s also a spacious outdoor area and a variety of conference suites. A little tip: the central walkway, known as ‘The Boulevard,’ stretches 600 meters down the centre of the venue, so make sure you pack your comfiest shoes!
ExCeL London boasts excellent transport links by road, rail, boat, and air – it’s just a short distance from London City Airport, has three Docklands Light Railway (DLR) stations, its own Elizabeth Line station, and plenty of bus stops. Central London is only 15 minutes away by public transport, plus there are 3,000 parking spaces available via the A13.
Plus, you’ll find hotels and restaurants for every budget right on ExCeL’s doorstep (quite literally; there are bars, restaurants, and hotels at the venue’s entrance and exit points!).
Top tip: pack hi-vis vests for your team; you’re not allowed into the venue on show setup days without one – you’ll get turned away if you try.
The pros and cons of the ExCel, London
The NEC is a fantastic venue with plenty of facilities on offer, but there are a few things to bear in mind before you decide to exhibit:
Pros of exhibiting at ExCeL London:
- A massive 100,000m² of flexible space gives you plenty of room (and height!) to get creative.
- The transport links are second to none among UK exhibition venues.
- You’ll find 19 hotels on-site or within a minute’s walk away.
- It’s a logistical dream, making it easy to bring in vehicles and equipment for both setup and breakdown.
- The extensive on-site support covers everything from catering to rigging and audiovisual equipment maintenance.
- There’s a great selection of restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, and bars on-site.
- The waste removal teams do a sterling job cleaning the venue and show floors after each show day.
- There’s ample parking for over 3,000 vehicles.
Cons of exhibiting at ExCeL London:
- It is expensive to book space (eye-wateringly so).
- Venue charges like rigging, internet connectivity, and logistics are also budget-breakers.
- On-site parking is £25 a day (make sure you factor this into your show budget).
- Food and drink at the venue are expensive (can you see the pattern emerging here?).
- Despite the cost, it’s a very popular venue and prime spaces go quickly. You have to be proactive and book early to avoid disappointment.
- As the space is so large, you need to double-check access points to ensure you choose the correct point to bring in equipment. Otherwise, you could be in for quite a hike!
Don’t fancy constructing your own stand?
Our stand at the Plant-based World Expo in London was outstanding. We had hundreds of visitors attracted to join us throughout the course of the show.
“The working kitchen meant our chefs could deliver an amazing tasting experience, and the display areas and screens allowed our sales manager team to provide prospective customers with a highly professional service and quality advice.”
Marketing Team, NEXTERA®
Read about the project.
Clients we work with
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FAQs
Do you have any other clients exhibiting at HRC
Yes! We’ve taken clients to many hospitality shows over the years, and our HRC to-do list is already stacking up as return clients book their 2026 calendars!
But busy doesn’t put us off – we’re a high-energy, enthusiastic team, and all our clients get the same level of project management and logistical support whether we’ve worked with them before or this is their first time.
Can I have a fully functioning kitchen on my stand at HRC
Absolutely. We’ve nailed the art of creating fully functioning kitchens, with sinks and running water alongside freezers, displays, and cooking and demo areas. We’ve got great contacts for kitchen equipment, and have the logistic preparation and planning down to a fine art.
Don’t just take our word for it – check out our case studies for brilliant clients Destiny Foods, Scrocchiarella, Joe & Sephs, Brew Tea, Synergy Grill, and NEXTERA®.
Can you take our supplies to ExCeL London if we work together?
Absolutely! You can send your materials our way, and we’ll make sure to pack them up with your stand for transport. If you’re hopping on a train, the last thing you want is to lug around a bunch of brochures, iPads, and products. That’s why we handle all your exhibition logistics as part of the project price.
And if you want to lighten your load, consider renting iPads and other equipment from us! We’ve got a great selection of furniture, AV gear, and various props and accessories to make your stand unmissable.
How much do exhibition stands cost?
Here’s what to think about when budgeting for your exhibition stand:
- The size of the space you’ve booked.
- Whether you anticipate your event to be a one-off exhibition or whether you need an exhibition stand you can reuse and reconfigure multiple times.
- What you want to achieve from exhibiting.
- Whether you’re hiring or buying.
But don’t worry, we’ll collaborate with you to find a fantastic design which works within your budget.
What makes a good custom exhibition stand?
A good custom exhibition stand is reflects your brand’s values and business objectives, while aligning with your goals for the specific event.
To make sure we all know what we’re working towards and are singing off the same hymn sheet, we need a detailed exhibition stand brief. We have a helpful briefing template which walks you through all the important steps.
Motive Exhibitions, 3 Orion Court, Ambuscade Road, Colmworth Business Park, Eaton Socon, St. Neots, PE19 8YX
