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Along the busiest tourist streets in the heart of Scotland's historic capital looms a monolith of metal poles and platforms.

For the past 60 months, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the corner of the famous Royal Mile and the adjacent bridge has been a covered eyesore.

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

Repair work commenced in 2020 and was initially projected to last a short period, but now frustrated residents have been told the structure could stay in place until 2027.

Extended Timelines

Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), the main contractor, says it will be "towards the end" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the structure can be removed.

The city's political leader a council official has called it a "eyesore" on the area, while preservation advocates say the work is "extremely disruptive".

What is happening with this notoriously protracted project?

Background Issues

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

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

Construction activity started soon after the start of the global health crisis with the hotel itself shut for business since 2022.

A section of the street and a sizable stretch of footpath leading up to the junction of the Royal Mile have been closed off by the work.

Walkers going to and from the Lawnmarket and a neighboring street have been forced single-file into a confined, sheltered corridor.

A dining establishment Ondine left the building and moved to another city in 2024.

In a release, its owners said building work had forced them to modify the restaurant's facade, adding that "guests were entitled to a superior experience".

It is also home to popular eatery a pizza restaurant – which has displayed large signs on the scaffold to notify customers it is operating as usual.

Slipped Schedules

An communication to the council's transport and environment committee in the start of the year stated that the process of "revealing" the frontage would start in February, with a total takedown by the close of the year.

But the firm has said that is incorrect, citing "extremely complex" construction issues for the delay.

"We project starting to take down portions of the scaffold towards the end of 2026, with additional work continuing thereafter," they said.

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

Community and Heritage Concerns

A heritage director, lead of preservation association the an advocacy group, said the work had contributed to the city's reputation of being "leisurely" for development.

She said those working on the project had a "civic responsibility" to reduce disturbance and should blend the work into the city's design.

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

"It is perplexing why there is not a try to bring it into the streetscape or create something more creative and innovative."

Project Response

A company representative said work on "measures to enhance the appearance the site" was continuing.

They stated: "We recognize the frustrations felt by local residents and businesses.

"This has been a lengthy and protracted process, demonstrating the difficulty and scale of the repair work required, however we are committed to concluding this essential work as soon as is possible."

Ms Meagher said the local authority would "continue to put pressure" on those involved to finish the project.

She said: "This scaffolding has been a negative presence for years, and I understand the annoyance of locals and area enterprises over these persistent hold-ups.

"Nonetheless, I also appreciate that the contractor has a duty to make the building safe and that this remediation has turned out to be exceptionally difficult."