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Positioned on the most popular thoroughfares in the core of Scotland's heritage-rich city centre looms a imposing sight of metal poles and platforms.

For half a decade, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the intersection of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and the adjacent bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Visitors cannot book rooms, pedestrians are squeezed through narrow walkways, and businesses have abandoned the building.

Remedial work started in 2020 and was originally estimated to last a few months, but now exasperated residents have been told the scaffolding could stay in place until 2027.

Extended Timelines

The construction firm, the main contractor, says it will be "near the finish" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the frame can be dismantled.

Edinburgh's council leader a council official has described it as a "eyesore" on the area, while conservationists say the work is "highly inconvenient".

What is transpiring with this notoriously protracted project?

A Problematic Past

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

Projections from when it first opened under the a designer banner, put the development expense at about £30m.

Remedial efforts got underway not long after the start of the Covid pandemic with the hotel itself not accepting visitors since 2022.

Part of the road and a large section of sidewalk leading up to the junction of the tourist drag have been rendered unusable by the work.

Walkers going to and from the an adjacent district and a neighboring street have been forced in a line into a narrow, covered walkway.

An eatery a well-known restaurant departed from the building and relocated to a different location in 2024.

In a release, its owners said construction activity had obliged them to change the restaurant's look, adding that "customers deserved better".

It is also the location of restaurant chain a pizza restaurant – which has placed large banners on the framework to inform customers it is operating as usual.

Delayed Plans

An report to the a city committee in early this year stated that the process of "uncovering" the exterior would begin in February, with a complete dismantling by the year's end.

But SRM has said that will not happen, citing "exceptionally intricate" structural challenges for the setback.

"We expect starting to take down sections of the framework towards the end of 2026, with additional work proceeding afterwards," they said.

"We are collaborating closely with all parties to ensure we deliver an better site for the local area."

Community and Heritage Concerns

A heritage director, head of preservation association the a local association, said the work had contributed to the city's reputation of being "protracted" for construction projects.

She said those associated with the project had a "public duty" to reduce disturbance and should incorporate the work into the city's aesthetic.

She said: "It is making the walking experience in that area of the city really difficult.

"It is puzzling why there is not a try to bring it into the street view or develop something more artistic and avant-garde."

Ongoing Efforts

A official statement said work on "solutions to aesthetically improve the site" was ongoing.

They continued: "We acknowledge the irritations felt by local residents and businesses.

"This constitutes a extended and complex process, demonstrating the complexity and scale of the restoration required, however we are focused on concluding this necessary work as soon as is practicable."

The council leader said the local authority would "continue to put pressure" on those responsible to finish the project.

She said: "This framework has been a negative presence for years, and I echo the frustration of residents and local businesses over these ongoing postponements.

"However, I also recognize that the firm has a responsibility to make the building safe and that this restoration has proved to be exceptionally difficult."