Built to perform: How design drives revenue in hospitality Live at HRC 2026, ExCel London

What does great hospitality design actually do?In this special live episode of Hospitality Reframed, recorded at the HRC 2026 Vision Stage at ExCeL London, Scot Turner hosts a panel of operators, designers and sustainability experts to explore one big question:Does design drive revenue — or should we really be talking about profitability?Joined by:Alex Chapman, CEO - DECONDavid Chenery, Director - ReassembleGanan Kanagathurai, CEO - Roti King…the conversation dives into the real role of design in hospitality today — from guest behaviour and dwell time to operational flow, sustainability, emotional connection and commercial return.The panel explores why beautiful spaces alone are not enough, how operators often brief design incorrectly, where value engineering goes wrong, and why sustainability must be considered through the lens of durability, ROI and long-term performance.This is a practical, honest conversation about what hospitality spaces need to deliver today — commercially, emotionally and operationally.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction01:12 – Does design drive revenue… or profitability?03:45 – Why revenue can be the wrong metric for design06:10 – When design helps sales but hurts operations08:30 – What is the real job of hospitality design today?11:05 – Emotional vs operational design decisions13:18 – Why operators often brief design incorrectly16:40 – What a good hospitality design brief looks like22:15 – Where operators should spend vs save25:04 – Why value engineering gets a bad reputation28:11 – What should never be value engineered out31:22 – Sustainability beyond materials and greenwashing34:10 – Durability, ROI and designing for the long term37:08 – Designing spaces people want to stay in40:25 – Behavioural science, dwell time and craveability43:12 – Final takeaway from each panellist