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On one of the most frequented avenues in the core of Scotland's ancient city looms a monolith of metal poles and platforms.

For five years, the establishment on the junction of the famous Royal Mile and George IV Bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Travellers find no available accommodations, foot traffic are funneled through tight corridors, and establishments have vacated the building.

Restoration efforts commenced in 2020 and was only expected to last a few months, but now exasperated residents have been told the structure could remain until 2027.

Extended Timelines

Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), the lead company, says it will be "towards the end" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the scaffold can be taken down.

A local authority figure a council official has called it a "eyesore" on the area, while heritage campaigners say the work is "very troublesome".

What is going on with this notoriously protracted project?

A Problematic Past

The sizeable hotel was built on the site of the old Lothian Regional Council offices in 2009.

Figures from when it originally launched under the a fashion-branded banner, put the cost of construction at about thirty million pounds.

Work on the building began not long after the start of the Covid pandemic with the hotel itself shut for business since 2022.

A lane of traffic and a significant portion of sidewalk leading up to the intersection of the tourist drag have been left out of action by the work.

People on foot going to and from the an adjacent district and a neighboring street have been required in a line into a narrow, covered walkway.

An eatery a popular spot left the building and transferred to a different location in 2024.

In a release, its operators said the ongoing project had compelled them to change the restaurant's look, adding that "customers deserved better".

It is also home to popular eatery a pizza restaurant – which has placed large banners on the structure to notify customers it is operating as usual.

Delayed Plans

An update to the a local authority committee in the start of the year indicated that the process of "uncovering" the façade would begin in February, with a complete dismantling by the year's end.

But SRM has said that will not happen, pointing to "highly complicated" structural challenges for the delay.

"We expect starting to take down parts of the structure near the finish of 2026, with further improvements ongoing after that," the company commented.

"Efforts are underway closely with everyone involved to ensure we provide an enhanced site for the public."

Community and Heritage Concerns

A conservation official, lead of conservation group the an advocacy group, said the work had reinforced the city's reputation of being "leisurely" for development.

She said those working on the project had a "civic responsibility" to minimise disruption and should incorporate the work into the city's design.

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

"It is perplexing why there is not a try to incorporate it within the urban landscape or develop something more artistic and avant-garde."

Project Response

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

They continued: "We acknowledge the irritations felt by nearby inhabitants and businesses.

"This constitutes a extended and complex process, demonstrating the complexity and magnitude of the repair work required, however we are focused on completing this essential work as soon as is practicable."

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

She said: "This structure has been a negative presence for years, and I echo the exasperation of inhabitants and nearby shops over these persistent hold-ups.

"That said, I also acknowledge that the company has a duty to make the building structurally sound and that this remediation has been hugely complex."