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Positioned on the busiest tourist streets in the heart of Scotland's historic capital sits a imposing sight of metal poles and platforms.

For half a decade, a prominent hotel on the intersection of a key historic street and George IV Bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Visitors find no available accommodations, foot traffic are funneled through narrow walkways, and commercial tenants have abandoned the building.

Remedial work started in 2020 and was initially projected to last a brief duration, but now frustrated residents have been told the framework could persist until 2027.

Further Delays

The construction firm, the main contractor, says it will be "near the finish" of 2026 before the initial parts 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 "extremely disruptive".

What is going on with this notoriously protracted project?

A Problematic Past

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

Figures from when it initially debuted under the a designer banner, put the build cost at about thirty million pounds.

Construction activity began shortly after the start of the global health crisis with the hotel itself closed to guests since 2022.

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

Walkers going to and from the a nearby area and another locale have been compelled in a line into a confined, sheltered corridor.

An eatery a well-known restaurant quit the building and moved to another city in 2024.

In a release, its management said construction activity had obliged them to modify the restaurant's look, adding that "patrons merited more".

It is also the location of restaurant chain Pizza Express – which has displayed large notices on the structure to notify customers it is still open.

Missed Deadlines

An communication to the a city committee in early this year indicated that the process of "revealing" the frontage would commence in February, with a full removal by the year's end.

But SRM has said that is incorrect, pointing to "exceptionally intricate" structural challenges for the setback.

"We project starting to remove sections of the structure towards the end of 2026, with additional work continuing thereafter," a statement read.

"We are working closely with everyone involved to ensure we create an improved site for the public."

Community and Heritage Concerns

A conservation official, director of preservation association the a local association, said the work had reinforced the city's reputation of being "protracted" for urban works.

She said those involved in the project had a "obligation to the public" to lessen disruption and should integrate the work into the city's aesthetic.

She said: "It is making the experience for those on foot in that section very hard.

"It is perplexing why there is not an effort to bring it into the street view or produce something more artistic and avant-garde."

Project Response

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

They added: "We recognize the frustrations felt by local residents and enterprises.

"This constitutes a extended and complex process, highlighting the intricacy and size of the restoration required, however we are committed to completing this necessary work as soon as is practicable."

The council leader said the city would "keep applying pressure" on those involved to finish the project.

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

"However, I also acknowledge that the company has a duty to make the building safe and that this remediation has proved to be hugely complex."