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Along the busiest tourist streets in the centre of Scotland's ancient city looms a monolith of scaffolding.

For half a decade, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the junction of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and George IV Bridge has been a covered eyesore.

Visitors are unable to reserve stays, foot traffic are funneled through tight corridors, and businesses have vacated the building.

Repair work commenced in 2020 and was initially projected to last a few months, but now fed-up residents have been told the framework could persist until 2027.

Extended Timelines

Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), the primary firm, says it will be "towards the end" of 2026 before the initial parts of the structure can be removed.

Edinburgh's council leader a city representative has described it as a "negative feature" on the area, while preservation advocates say the work is "extremely disruptive".

What is happening with this apparently perpetual project?

A Problematic Past

The sizeable hotel was constructed on the site of the old local government offices in 2009.

Projections from when it initially debuted under the a designer banner, put the build cost at about £30m.

Work on the building started soon after the start of the coronavirus outbreak with the hotel itself closed to guests since 2022.

A lane of traffic and a large section of pavement leading up to the intersection of the Royal Mile have been rendered unusable by the development.

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

Seafood restaurant a well-known restaurant quit the building and moved to a different location in 2024.

In a comment, its owners said the ongoing project had obliged them to change the restaurant's facade, adding that "guests were entitled to a superior experience".

It is also the location of popular eatery Pizza Express – which has hung large signs on the framework to inform customers it is operating as usual.

Slipped Schedules

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

But the contractor has said that will not happen, pointing to "extremely complex" building problems for the postponement.

"We anticipate starting to dismantle parts of the framework close to the conclusion of next year, with subsequent enhancements proceeding afterwards," a statement read.

"We are collaborating closely with the relevant stakeholders to ensure we deliver an enhanced site for the community."

Community and Heritage Concerns

A conservation official, director of preservation association the an advocacy group, said the work had added to the city's reputation of being "protracted" for construction projects.

She said those involved in the project had a "civic responsibility" to minimise disturbance and should incorporate the work into the city's streetscape.

She said: "It is making the pedestrian experience in that section really difficult.

"It is puzzling why there is not some attempt to bring it into the urban landscape or create something more artistic and avant-garde."

Ongoing Efforts

A project spokesperson said work on "solutions to aesthetically improve the site" was in progress.

They continued: "We acknowledge the frustrations felt by nearby inhabitants and enterprises.

"This constitutes a long and drawn-out process, demonstrating the difficulty and scale of the repair work required, however we are dedicated to concluding this necessary work as soon as is possible."

The official said the local authority would "continue to put pressure" on those involved to wrap up the project.

She said: "This structure has been a problem for years, and I understand the frustration of locals and area enterprises over these persistent hold-ups.

"However, I also appreciate that the contractor has a obligation to make the building structurally sound and that this remediation has proved to be extremely complicated."