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Positioned on the busiest tourist streets in the heart of Scotland's heritage-rich city centre stands a giant structure of scaffolding.

For five years, a prominent hotel on the junction of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and a major bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Travellers are unable to reserve stays, walkers are directed through tight corridors, and establishments have vacated the building.

Repair work began in 2020 and was initially projected to last a short period, but now frustrated residents have been told the scaffolding could persist until 2027.

Extended Timelines

The main contractor, the lead company, says it will be "near the finish" of 2026 before the initial parts of the frame can be taken down.

A local authority figure a council official has labeled 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 establishment with 136 rooms was developed on the site of the old Lothian Regional Council offices in 2009.

Estimates from when it initially debuted under the a designer banner, put the cost of construction at about thirty million pounds.

Construction activity got underway not long after the start of the global health crisis with the hotel itself closed to guests since 2022.

A lane of traffic and a sizable stretch of sidewalk leading up to the intersection of the tourist drag have been closed off by the work.

Pedestrians going to and from the Lawnmarket and another locale have been compelled one after another into a tight, enclosed passage.

Seafood restaurant a well-known restaurant left the building and moved to another city in 2024.

In a release, its owners said building work had forced them to modify the restaurant's appearance, adding that "customers deserved better".

It is also hosts restaurant chain Pizza Express – which has placed large signs on the scaffold to inform customers it is operating as usual.

Missed Deadlines

An communication to the a city committee in the start of the year suggested that the process of "exposing" the frontage would commence in February, with a full removal by the close of the year.

But the firm has said that is incorrect, citing "highly complicated" structural challenges for the delay.

"We expect starting to remove sections of the scaffold close to the conclusion of 2026, with subsequent enhancements ongoing after that," the company commented.

"We are collaborating closely with all parties to ensure we provide an enhanced site for the community."

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 "leisurely" for construction projects.

She said those involved in the project had a "civic responsibility" to minimise inconvenience and should integrate the work into the city's design.

She said: "It renders the pedestrian experience in that section really difficult.

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

Project Response

A company representative said work on "ideas to beautify the site" was ongoing.

They added: "We recognize the annoyances felt by nearby inhabitants and shops.

"This constitutes a lengthy and protracted process, demonstrating the intricacy and scale of the remedial work required, however we are committed to finishing this necessary work as soon as is practicable."

The official said the city would "keep applying pressure" on those involved to complete the project.

She said: "This structure has been a problem for years, and I share the exasperation of residents and local businesses over these continued delays.

"However, I also appreciate that the contractor has a responsibility to make the building safe and that this remediation has turned out to be extremely complicated."