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Along the most frequented avenues in the heart of Scotland's historic capital looms a giant structure of construction framework.

For half a decade, a prominent hotel on the intersection of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and George IV Bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Travellers cannot book rooms, pedestrians are squeezed through confined passages, and establishments have abandoned the building.

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

Prolonged Deadlines

The construction firm, the main contractor, says it will be "close to the conclusion" 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 conservationists say the work is "very troublesome".

What is happening with this seemingly endless project?

Background Issues

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

Estimates from when it originally launched under the Missoni Hotel banner, put the build cost at about £30m.

Work on the building started shortly after the start of the Covid pandemic with the hotel itself shut for business since 2022.

Part of the road and a sizable stretch of pavement leading up to the junction of the tourist drag have been closed off by the development.

Pedestrians going to and from the an adjacent district and another locale have been compelled in a line into a tight, enclosed passage.

Seafood restaurant a well-known restaurant departed from the building and moved to a different location in 2024.

In a comment, its management said building work 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 displayed large banners on the scaffold to notify customers it is still open.

Delayed Plans

An communication to the a local authority committee in the start of the year stated that the process of "exposing" the façade would start in February, with a complete dismantling by the year's end.

But SRM has said that is not the case, referencing "highly complicated" construction issues for the delay.

"We expect starting to take down portions of the structure close to the conclusion of the coming year, with further improvements ongoing after that," a statement read.

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

Community and Heritage Concerns

Rowan Brown, head of conservation group 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 "public duty" to minimise disruption and should incorporate the work into the city's streetscape.

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

"It is puzzling why there is not some attempt to integrate it into the street view or create something more creative and avant-garde."

Ongoing Efforts

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

They continued: "We understand the irritations felt by the community and enterprises.

"This represents a extended and complex process, reflecting the difficulty and size of the remedial work required, however we are focused on concluding this vital work as soon as is practicable."

Ms Meagher said the city would "maintain pressure" on those responsible to wrap up the project.

She said: "This scaffolding has been a blight for years, and I echo the annoyance of locals and nearby shops over these ongoing postponements.

"That said, I also recognize that the firm has a duty to make the building structurally sound and that this remediation has proved to be hugely complex."