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Positioned on the busiest tourist streets in the centre of Scotland's historic capital sits a giant structure of scaffolding.

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

Visitors cannot book rooms, pedestrians are funneled through tight corridors, and establishments have left the building.

Restoration efforts began in 2020 and was only expected to last a few months, but now fed-up residents have been told the framework could stay in place until 2027.

Extended Timelines

Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), the main contractor, says it will be "near the finish" of 2026 before the initial parts of the scaffold can be removed.

A local authority figure a council official has called it a "negative feature" on the area, while preservation advocates say the work is "extremely disruptive".

What is transpiring with this apparently perpetual project?

A Troubled History

The 136-bedroom hotel was built on the site of the previous Lothian Regional Council offices in 2009.

Projections from when it initially debuted under the Missoni Hotel banner, put the cost of construction at about £30m.

Work on the building got underway not long after the start of the global health crisis with the hotel itself shut for business since 2022.

A lane of traffic and a significant portion of footpath leading up to the junction of the tourist drag have been closed off by the project.

People on foot going to and from the a nearby area and Victoria Terrace have been forced one after another into a tight, enclosed passage.

Seafood restaurant Ondine departed from the building and relocated to St Andrews in Fife in 2024.

In a statement, its operators said the ongoing project had obliged them to modify the restaurant's look, adding that "customers deserved better".

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

Delayed Plans

An communication to the a local authority committee in the start of the year suggested that the process of "uncovering" the façade would begin in February, with a complete dismantling by the close of the year.

But the contractor has said that is not the case, referencing "exceptionally intricate" structural challenges for the postponement.

"We expect starting to dismantle parts of the structure near the finish of the coming year, with additional work ongoing after that," a statement read.

"We are working closely with everyone involved to ensure we provide an improved site for the local area."

Local and Conservation Frustration

Rowan Brown, head of heritage body the Cockburn Association, said the work had contributed to 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 design.

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

"It is perplexing why there is not a try to integrate it into the street view or develop something more aesthetic and avant-garde."

Ongoing Efforts

A official statement said work on "solutions to enhance the appearance the site" was ongoing.

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

"This constitutes a extended and complex process, highlighting the complexity and magnitude of the remedial work required, however we are dedicated to finishing this vital work as soon as is feasible."

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

She said: "This scaffolding has been a problem for years, and I understand the exasperation of residents and local businesses over these continued delays.

"However, I also acknowledge that the company has a obligation to make the building secure and that this remediation has been hugely complex."