🔗 Share this article The Ongoing Issue with Edinburgh's Scaffold-Wrapped Hotel? Scaffolding surrounding the hotel on a major city bridge may not be completely taken down until 2027. Along the most frequented avenues in the centre of Scotland's ancient city sits a giant structure of metal poles and platforms. For five years, the establishment on the junction of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and the adjacent bridge has been a shrouded blight. Visitors cannot book rooms, walkers are squeezed through confined passages, and establishments have vacated the building. Repair work commenced in 2020 and was initially projected to last a few months, but now frustrated residents have been told the scaffolding could persist until 2027. Further Delays Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), the primary firm, says it will be "near the finish" of 2026 before the first sections of the frame can be taken down. The city's political leader a city representative has called it a "negative feature" on the area, while heritage campaigners say the work is "very troublesome". What is happening with this seemingly endless project? Unwrapped - how the hotel is presented in its intended state on the company's website. A Problematic Past The sizeable hotel was constructed on the site of the old local government offices in 2009. Figures from when it initially debuted under the Missoni Hotel banner, put the development expense at about £30m. Remedial efforts got underway shortly 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 junction of the historic street have been left out of action by the development. Walkers going to and from the an adjacent district and a neighboring street have been forced single-file into a narrow, covered walkway. An eatery a popular spot departed from the building and relocated to another city in 2024. In a release, its owners said construction activity had compelled them to alter the restaurant's appearance, adding that "guests were entitled to a superior experience". It is also the location of dining franchise a pizza restaurant – which has placed large notices on the framework to remind customers it is open for business. Images show the G&V Hotel under construction in September 2008 (left) and the project beginning in 2020 (right). Delayed Plans An update to the a local authority committee in the start of the year indicated that the process of "exposing" the exterior would begin in February, with a full removal by the close of the year. But the firm has said that will not happen, referencing "extremely complex" structural challenges for the postponement. "We project starting to take down sections of the structure near the finish of the coming year, with additional work ongoing after that," the company commented. "We are collaborating closely with everyone involved to ensure we provide an better site for the public." Community and Heritage Concerns A conservation official, head of preservation association the Cockburn Association, said the work had contributed to the city's reputation of being "leisurely" for urban works. She said those associated with the project had a "civic responsibility" to reduce inconvenience and should integrate the work into the city's aesthetic. She said: "It causes the experience for those on foot in that area of the city really difficult. "It is perplexing why there is not some attempt to integrate it into the urban landscape or create something more aesthetic and avant-garde." Pedestrians have been forced to walk down a tight enclosed walkway on part of the street. Project Response A official statement said work on "ideas to aesthetically improve the site" was continuing. They continued: "We recognize the annoyances felt by nearby inhabitants and businesses. "This constitutes a long and drawn-out process, highlighting the difficulty and size of the remedial work required, however we are dedicated to concluding this vital work as soon as is feasible." The council leader said the local authority would "keep applying pressure" on those accountable to wrap up the project. She said: "This structure has been a blight for years, and I understand the frustration of inhabitants and area enterprises over these ongoing postponements. "However, I also recognize that the contractor has a obligation to make the building secure and that this repair has proved to be hugely complex."