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Positioned on the busiest tourist streets in the core of Scotland's historic capital stands a giant structure of scaffolding.

For the past 60 months, a prominent hotel on the corner of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and George IV Bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Visitors are unable to reserve stays, pedestrians are funneled through confined passages, and businesses have left the building.

Repair work started in 2020 and was initially projected to last a brief duration, but now exasperated residents have been told the structure could stay in place until 2027.

Further Delays

The construction firm, the lead company, says it will be "towards the end" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the scaffold can be dismantled.

The city's political leader a city representative has called it a "blight" 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 previous regional authority offices in 2009.

Projections from when it initially debuted under the Missoni Hotel banner, put the cost of construction at about £30m.

Remedial efforts started shortly after the start of the Covid pandemic with the hotel itself shut for business since 2022.

A lane of traffic and a large section of footpath leading up to the corner of the historic street have been rendered unusable by the project.

People on foot going to and from the a nearby area and another locale have been forced one after another into a tight, enclosed passage.

Seafood restaurant a well-known restaurant quit the building and transferred to a different location in 2024.

In a comment, its management said building work had forced them to alter the restaurant's look, adding that "patrons merited more".

It is also home to popular eatery Pizza Express – which has displayed large notices on the scaffold to inform customers it is operating as usual.

Missed Deadlines

An update to the a local authority committee in the start of the year suggested that the process of "revealing" the façade would commence in February, with a complete dismantling by the close of the year.

But SRM has said that will not happen, citing "exceptionally intricate" structural challenges for the postponement.

"We anticipate starting to remove sections of the scaffold close to the conclusion of next year, with additional work continuing thereafter," a statement read.

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

Community and Heritage Concerns

Rowan Brown, lead of heritage body the an advocacy group, said the work had contributed to the city's reputation of being "slow" for urban works.

She said those working on the project had a "public duty" to minimise disturbance and should integrate the work into the city's streetscape.

She said: "It causes the pedestrian experience in that part of town exceptionally challenging.

"I don't understand why there is not some attempt to incorporate it within the street view or create something more aesthetic and cutting-edge."

Ongoing Efforts

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

They stated: "We understand the irritations felt by local residents and businesses.

"This has been a extended and complex process, reflecting the intricacy and magnitude of the repair work required, however we are focused on concluding this vital work as soon as is practicable."

The official said the city would "maintain pressure" on those involved to finish the project.

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

"However, I also acknowledge that the company has a responsibility to make the building safe and that this remediation has proved to be exceptionally difficult."