🔗 Share this article

On one of the most frequented avenues in the centre of Scotland's historic capital looms a monolith of metal poles and platforms.

For half a decade, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the intersection of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and the adjacent bridge has been a plastic-wrapped eyesore.

Travellers cannot book rooms, pedestrians are directed through narrow walkways, and commercial tenants have left the building.

Repair work commenced in 2020 and was initially projected to last a brief duration, but now exasperated residents have been told the framework could persist until 2027.

Further Delays

The construction firm, the main contractor, says it will be "near the finish" of 2026 before the initial parts of the frame can be dismantled.

A local authority figure a council official has called it a "negative feature" on the area, while heritage campaigners say the work is "very troublesome".

What is transpiring with this seemingly endless project?

A Problematic Past

The sizeable hotel was constructed on the site of the previous local government offices in 2009.

Figures from when it originally launched under the a designer banner, put the development expense at about a significant sum.

Remedial efforts began shortly after the start of the Covid pandemic with the hotel itself closed to guests since 2022.

Part of the road and a large section of pavement leading up to the intersection of the tourist drag have been closed off by the project.

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

Seafood restaurant Ondine quit the building and moved to another city in 2024.

In a statement, its management said building work had obliged them to change the restaurant's facade, adding that "guests were entitled to a superior experience".

It is also the location of restaurant chain Pizza Express – which has hung large banners on the scaffold to notify customers it is operating as usual.

Delayed Plans

An report to the a city committee in January this year stated that the process of "exposing" the exterior would start in February, with a total takedown by the end of the year.

But the contractor has said that is incorrect, pointing to "highly complicated" structural challenges for the setback.

"We project starting to take down parts of the scaffold close to the conclusion of the coming year, with additional work proceeding afterwards," a statement read.

"We are collaborating closely with everyone involved to ensure we create an improved site for the community."

Local and Conservation Frustration

Rowan Brown, director of preservation association the an advocacy group, said the work had added to the city's reputation of being "leisurely" for urban works.

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

She said: "It is making the walking experience in that area of the city exceptionally challenging.

"It is puzzling why there is not an effort to incorporate it within the urban landscape or produce something more creative and cutting-edge."

Ongoing Efforts

A official statement said work on "ideas to beautify the site" was in progress.

They added: "We understand the frustrations felt by nearby inhabitants and shops.

"This has been a lengthy and protracted process, demonstrating the complexity and size of the restoration required, however we are dedicated to completing this essential work as soon as is feasible."

The council leader said the city would "maintain pressure" on those involved to complete the project.

She said: "This scaffolding has been a problem for years, and I understand the frustration of residents and area enterprises over these persistent hold-ups.

"That said, I also recognize that the contractor has a responsibility to make the building structurally sound and that this remediation has turned out to be extremely complicated."