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Positioned on the most popular thoroughfares in the heart of Scotland's historic capital stands a imposing sight of construction framework.

For the past 60 months, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the junction of a key historic street and George IV Bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Visitors find no available accommodations, walkers are squeezed through narrow walkways, and establishments have abandoned the building.

Repair work commenced in 2020 and was originally estimated to last a brief duration, but now fed-up residents have been told the framework could remain until 2027.

Further Delays

The construction firm, the primary firm, says it will be "towards the end" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the scaffold can be removed.

Edinburgh's council leader Jane Meagher has labeled it a "blight" on the area, while heritage campaigners say the work is "very troublesome".

What is transpiring with this seemingly endless project?

A Troubled History

The sizeable hotel was constructed on the site of the former Lothian Regional Council offices in 2009.

Figures from when it originally launched under the Missoni Hotel banner, put the development expense at about £30m.

Work on the building got underway shortly after the start of the global health crisis with the hotel itself not accepting visitors since 2022.

A section of the street and a large section of footpath leading up to the corner of the Royal Mile have been rendered unusable by the project.

Walkers going to and from the an adjacent district and a neighboring street have been required one after another into a confined, sheltered corridor.

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

In a statement, its owners said the ongoing project had obliged them to alter the restaurant's facade, adding that "patrons merited more".

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

Missed Deadlines

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

But the firm has said that is not the case, pointing to "highly complicated" construction issues for the delay.

"We expect starting to remove parts of the framework near the finish of next year, with further improvements continuing thereafter," the company commented.

"Efforts are underway closely with the relevant stakeholders to ensure we deliver an better site for the community."

Community and Heritage Concerns

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

She said those associated with the project had a "public duty" to lessen disruption and should integrate the work into the city's design.

She said: "It causes the pedestrian experience in that part of town really difficult.

"It is puzzling why there is not an effort to incorporate it within the urban landscape or produce something more aesthetic and avant-garde."

Project Response

A project spokesperson said work on "solutions to beautify the site" was continuing.

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

"This represents a extended and complex process, demonstrating the difficulty and magnitude of the repair work required, however we are focused on concluding this necessary work as soon as is feasible."

The council leader said the city would "maintain pressure" on those involved to wrap up the project.

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

"However, I also recognize that the contractor has a responsibility to make the building structurally sound and that this repair has turned out to be extremely complicated."