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Along the busiest tourist streets in the heart of Scotland's historic capital sits a monolith 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 covered eyesore.

Visitors cannot book rooms, walkers are funneled through confined passages, and establishments have vacated the building.

Restoration efforts commenced in 2020 and was only expected to last a brief duration, but now frustrated residents have been told the framework could stay in place until 2027.

Prolonged Deadlines

The construction firm, the main contractor, says it will be "towards the end" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the frame can be taken down.

Edinburgh's council leader a council official has called it a "blight" on the area, while heritage campaigners say the work is "extremely disruptive".

What is happening with this notoriously protracted project?

A Problematic Past

The establishment with 136 rooms was built on the site of the previous local government offices in 2009.

Projections from when it initially debuted under the a fashion-branded banner, put the cost of construction at about a significant sum.

Remedial efforts got underway shortly after the start of the Covid pandemic with the hotel itself closed to guests since 2022.

A lane of traffic and a significant portion of sidewalk leading up to the intersection of the Royal Mile have been closed off by the project.

Pedestrians going to and from the an adjacent district and another locale have been required single-file into a confined, sheltered corridor.

Seafood restaurant a well-known restaurant departed from the building and transferred to another city in 2024.

In a comment, its owners said the ongoing project had obliged them to change the restaurant's facade, adding that "patrons merited more".

It is also hosts restaurant chain a pizza restaurant – which has placed large banners on the structure to notify customers it is still open.

Slipped Schedules

An report to the a local authority committee in early this year suggested that the process of "uncovering" the frontage would begin in February, with a full removal by the close of the year.

But the firm has said that is not the case, pointing to "exceptionally intricate" building problems for the setback.

"We anticipate starting to remove parts of the structure towards the end of 2026, with additional work ongoing after that," a statement read.

"We are collaborating closely with the relevant stakeholders to ensure we create an improved site for the public."

Community and Heritage Concerns

A heritage director, lead of conservation group the Cockburn Association, said the work had added to the city's reputation of being "protracted" for urban works.

She said those involved in the project had a "civic responsibility" to lessen inconvenience and should incorporate the work into the city's design.

She said: "It causes the walking experience in that part of town exceptionally challenging.

"I don't understand why there is not some attempt to integrate it into the street view or create something more creative and avant-garde."

Project Response

A project spokesperson said work on "ideas to enhance the appearance the site" was continuing.

They added: "We recognize the annoyances felt by local residents and businesses.

"This constitutes a lengthy and protracted process, highlighting the complexity and size of the remedial work required, however we are focused on finishing this essential work as soon as is practicable."

Ms Meagher said the council would "continue to put pressure" on those involved to wrap up the project.

She said: "This scaffolding has been a blight for years, and I share the frustration of residents and nearby shops over these persistent hold-ups.

"Nonetheless, I also appreciate that the company has a responsibility to make the building safe and that this restoration has proved to be extremely complicated."