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On one of the busiest tourist streets in the core of Scotland's ancient city looms a giant structure of scaffolding.

For the past 60 months, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the corner of a key historic street and the adjacent bridge has been a plastic-wrapped eyesore.

Visitors are unable to reserve stays, foot traffic are funneled through narrow walkways, and commercial tenants have abandoned the building.

Repair work started in 2020 and was initially projected to last a few months, but now frustrated residents have been told the structure could remain until 2027.

Extended Timelines

Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), the main contractor, says it will be "near the finish" of 2026 before the first sections of the scaffold can be dismantled.

Edinburgh's council leader Jane Meagher has labeled it a "negative feature" on the area, while preservation advocates say the work is "extremely disruptive".

What is going on with this apparently perpetual project?

A Troubled History

The sizeable hotel was developed on the site of the former Lothian Regional Council offices in 2009.

Estimates from when it initially debuted under the Missoni Hotel banner, put the development expense at about thirty million pounds.

Construction activity started shortly after the start of the coronavirus outbreak with the hotel itself shut for business since 2022.

Part of the road and a significant portion of footpath leading up to the corner of the tourist drag have been closed off by the work.

People on foot going to and from the a nearby area and another locale have been required single-file into a confined, sheltered corridor.

An eatery a popular spot quit the building and moved to another city in 2024.

In a release, its management said the ongoing project had obliged them to alter the restaurant's look, adding that "guests were entitled to a superior experience".

It is also the location of popular eatery Pizza Express – which has displayed large signs on the scaffold to remind customers it is operating as usual.

Slipped Schedules

An communication to the a city committee in early this year suggested that the process of "revealing" the façade would start in February, with a total takedown by the year's end.

But the firm has said that will not happen, pointing to "highly complicated" building problems for the delay.

"We expect starting to remove parts of the structure towards the end of next year, with additional work proceeding afterwards," the company commented.

"We are working closely with everyone involved to ensure we create an enhanced site for the public."

Community and Heritage Concerns

A conservation official, head of heritage body the a local association, said the work had reinforced the city's reputation of being "leisurely" for construction projects.

She said those involved in the project had a "public duty" to minimise disruption and should blend the work into the city's streetscape.

She said: "It causes the experience for those on foot in that area of the city very hard.

"It is perplexing why there is not an effort to bring it into the street view or develop something more artistic and avant-garde."

Continued Work

A company representative said work on "solutions to aesthetically improve the site" was continuing.

They continued: "We understand the irritations felt by nearby inhabitants and businesses.

"This has been a long and drawn-out process, reflecting the complexity and size of the remedial work required, however we are committed to concluding this vital work as soon as is practicable."

The council leader said the local authority would "maintain pressure" on those accountable to complete the project.

She said: "This framework has been a problem for years, and I share the annoyance of locals and nearby shops over these continued delays.

"However, I also appreciate that the contractor has a responsibility to make the building safe and that this restoration has turned out to be exceptionally difficult."