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On one of the most popular thoroughfares in the centre of Scotland's heritage-rich city centre stands a monolith of metal poles and platforms.

For five years, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the corner of a key historic street and the adjacent bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Tourists find no available accommodations, foot traffic are squeezed through narrow walkways, and commercial tenants have vacated the building.

Restoration efforts commenced in 2020 and was originally estimated to last a brief duration, but now exasperated residents have been told the framework could stay in place until 2027.

Further Delays

Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), the lead company, says it will be "towards the end" of 2026 before the initial parts of the structure can be dismantled.

The city's political leader a city representative has called it a "eyesore" on the area, while preservation advocates say the work is "very troublesome".

What is going on with this seemingly endless project?

A Problematic Past

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

Estimates from when it first opened under the a designer banner, put the build cost at about thirty million pounds.

Construction activity began not long after the start of the coronavirus outbreak with the hotel itself not accepting visitors since 2022.

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

People on foot going to and from the Lawnmarket and another locale have been compelled one after another into a confined, sheltered corridor.

Seafood restaurant a well-known restaurant left the building and transferred to St Andrews in Fife in 2024.

In a release, its operators said building work 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 hung large notices on the scaffold to remind customers it is open for business.

Delayed Plans

An report to the a local authority committee in the start of the year indicated that the process of "revealing" the frontage would start in February, with a full removal by the year's end.

But the contractor has said that is not the case, referencing "extremely complex" building problems for the delay.

"We anticipate starting to take down parts of the scaffold near the finish of the coming year, with subsequent enhancements proceeding afterwards," they said.

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

Community and Heritage Concerns

A conservation official, director of preservation association the Cockburn Association, said the work had added to the city's reputation of being "leisurely" for construction projects.

She said those involved in the project had a "obligation to the public" to minimise inconvenience and should incorporate the work into the city's aesthetic.

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

"It is perplexing why there is not an effort to integrate it into the streetscape or create something more creative and cutting-edge."

Continued Work

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

They continued: "We recognize the annoyances felt by the community and enterprises.

"This represents a lengthy and protracted process, highlighting the complexity and magnitude of the restoration required, however we are focused on completing this vital work as soon as is feasible."

The council leader said the council would "continue to put pressure" on those involved to finish the project.

She said: "This scaffolding has been a negative presence for years, and I echo the exasperation of inhabitants and nearby shops over these continued delays.

"Nonetheless, I also acknowledge that the firm has a obligation to make the building structurally sound and that this repair has been exceptionally difficult."