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Positioned on the most popular thoroughfares in the centre of Scotland's heritage-rich city centre sits a monolith of construction framework.

For the past 60 months, a prominent hotel on the corner of a key historic street and George IV Bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Tourists find no available accommodations, walkers are directed through tight corridors, and establishments have left the building.

Restoration efforts began in 2020 and was initially projected to last a short period, but now fed-up residents have been told the structure could remain until 2027.

Further Delays

Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), the lead company, says it will be "near the finish" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the scaffold can be dismantled.

Edinburgh's council leader a city representative has called it a "negative feature" on the area, while heritage campaigners say the work is "highly inconvenient".

What is transpiring with this seemingly endless project?

Background Issues

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

Estimates from when it initially debuted under the a designer banner, put the cost of construction at about thirty million pounds.

Remedial efforts began 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 significant portion of footpath leading up to the intersection of the tourist drag have been closed off by the work.

Walkers going to and from the a nearby area and Victoria Terrace have been compelled in a line into a tight, enclosed passage.

An eatery a popular spot left the building and moved to St Andrews in Fife in 2024.

In a statement, its management said building work had obliged them to modify the restaurant's look, adding that "customers deserved better".

It is also home to popular eatery a chain – which has placed large notices on the framework to notify customers it is still open.

Missed Deadlines

An report to the a local authority committee in the start of the year indicated that the process of "revealing" the exterior would start in February, with a total takedown by the end of the year.

But the contractor has said that is incorrect, citing "exceptionally intricate" construction issues for the delay.

"We expect starting to take down sections of the framework near the finish of 2026, with additional work proceeding afterwards," the company commented.

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

Local and Conservation Frustration

A conservation official, director of heritage body the an advocacy group, said the work had contributed to the city's reputation of being "leisurely" for urban works.

She said those associated with the project had a "obligation to the public" to minimise inconvenience and should blend the work into the city's aesthetic.

She said: "It renders the experience for those on foot in that section exceptionally challenging.

"It is puzzling why there is not an effort to integrate it into the streetscape or produce something more aesthetic and avant-garde."

Project Response

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

They added: "We acknowledge the frustrations felt by the community and shops.

"This has been a extended and complex process, reflecting the complexity and magnitude of the remedial work required, however we are focused on finishing this essential work as soon as is possible."

The official said the local authority would "maintain pressure" on those involved to complete the project.

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

"However, I also appreciate that the company has a duty to make the building structurally sound and that this restoration has turned out to be exceptionally difficult."