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Positioned on the busiest tourist streets in the heart of Scotland's heritage-rich city centre stands a monolith of construction framework.

For five years, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the corner of a key historic street and George IV Bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Tourists find no available accommodations, walkers are squeezed through tight corridors, and commercial tenants have vacated the building.

Restoration efforts commenced in 2020 and was only expected to last a brief duration, but now fed-up residents have been told the scaffolding could persist until 2027.

Extended Timelines

Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), the main contractor, says it will be "towards the end" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the structure can be removed.

Edinburgh's council leader a council official has described it as a "blight" on the area, while conservationists say the work is "very troublesome".

What is happening with this seemingly endless project?

A Problematic Past

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

Estimates from when it first opened under the a designer banner, put the cost of construction at about £30m.

Remedial efforts got underway shortly after the start of the global health crisis with the hotel itself not accepting visitors since 2022.

Part of the road and a sizable stretch of footpath leading up to the junction of the historic street have been rendered unusable by the work.

Pedestrians going to and from the a nearby area and Victoria Terrace have been compelled in a line into a tight, enclosed passage.

Seafood restaurant Ondine left the building and relocated to another city in 2024.

In a release, its owners said construction activity had obliged them to change the restaurant's look, adding that "patrons merited more".

It is also the location of dining franchise Pizza Express – which has hung large banners on the structure to inform customers it is still open.

Delayed Plans

An report to the council's transport and environment committee in the start of the year stated that the process of "revealing" the frontage would commence in February, with a complete dismantling by the year's end.

But SRM has said that will not happen, citing "extremely complex" structural challenges for the delay.

"We project starting to take down parts of the structure towards the end of the coming year, with additional work ongoing after that," they said.

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

Local and Conservation Frustration

Rowan Brown, lead of heritage body the a local association, 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 "civic responsibility" to reduce disturbance and should blend 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 some attempt to incorporate it within the urban landscape or create something more artistic and avant-garde."

Project Response

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

They stated: "We understand the frustrations felt by the community and enterprises.

"This constitutes a extended and complex process, demonstrating the difficulty and scale of the repair work required, however we are dedicated to completing this vital work as soon as is practicable."

The council leader said the local authority would "maintain pressure" on those accountable to complete the project.

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

"That said, I also appreciate that the firm has a responsibility to make the building structurally sound and that this remediation has proved to be extremely complicated."