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On one of the busiest tourist streets in the core of Scotland's ancient city stands a monolith of metal poles and platforms.

For half a decade, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the corner of a key historic street and a major bridge has been a plastic-wrapped eyesore.

Travellers find no available accommodations, walkers are funneled through confined passages, and businesses have vacated the building.

Repair work commenced in 2020 and was only expected to last a short period, but now exasperated residents have been told the structure could persist until 2027.

Further Delays

The main contractor, the primary firm, says it will be "near the finish" of 2026 before the first sections of the structure can be dismantled.

Edinburgh's council leader Jane Meagher has described it as a "blight" on the area, while preservation advocates say the work is "very troublesome".

What is happening with this notoriously protracted project?

A Troubled History

The establishment with 136 rooms was developed on the site of the previous regional authority offices in 2009.

Figures from when it first opened under the a designer banner, put the cost of construction at about thirty million pounds.

Work on the building started shortly after the start of the global health crisis with the hotel itself closed to guests since 2022.

Part of the road and a significant portion of sidewalk leading up to the junction of the tourist drag have been left out of action by the development.

Pedestrians going to and from the a nearby area and a neighboring street have been forced in a line into a tight, enclosed passage.

Seafood restaurant a popular spot quit the building and relocated to a different location in 2024.

In a release, its management said the ongoing project had forced them to alter the restaurant's facade, adding that "guests were entitled to a superior experience".

It is also the location of dining franchise a chain – which has placed large banners on the structure to notify customers it is still open.

Missed Deadlines

An communication to the council's transport and environment committee in January this year suggested that the process of "revealing" the exterior would start in February, with a full removal by the year's end.

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

"We project starting to dismantle parts of the scaffold near the finish of next year, with subsequent enhancements proceeding afterwards," the company commented.

"Efforts are underway closely with all parties to ensure we deliver an improved site for the public."

Community and Heritage Concerns

Rowan Brown, director of preservation association the a local association, said the work had added to the city's reputation of being "slow" for development.

She said those working on the project had a "public duty" to lessen disruption and should integrate the work into the city's aesthetic.

She said: "It renders the pedestrian experience in that section exceptionally challenging.

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

Ongoing Efforts

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

They continued: "We understand the frustrations felt by local residents and enterprises.

"This represents a extended and complex process, reflecting the difficulty and size of the remedial work required, however we are committed to finishing this vital work as soon as is possible."

The council leader said the city would "continue to put pressure" on those responsible to complete the project.

She said: "This structure has been a problem for years, and I share the exasperation of locals and area enterprises over these persistent hold-ups.

"Nonetheless, I also recognize that the contractor has a obligation to make the building safe and that this remediation has been hugely complex."