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

For five years, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the intersection of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and George IV Bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Visitors are unable to reserve stays, pedestrians are directed through tight corridors, and establishments have left the building.

Repair work started in 2020 and was only expected to last a few months, but now exasperated residents have been told the structure could persist until 2027.

Further Delays

The construction firm, the primary firm, says it will be "close to the conclusion" of 2026 before the earliest portions 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 preservation advocates say the work is "very troublesome".

What is going on with this notoriously protracted project?

A Problematic Past

The establishment with 136 rooms was constructed on the site of the former Lothian Regional Council offices in 2009.

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

Construction activity began not long after the start of the global health crisis with the hotel itself shut for business since 2022.

A lane of traffic and a significant portion of footpath leading up to the junction of the Royal Mile have been closed off by the project.

Pedestrians going to and from the a nearby area and Victoria Terrace have been required single-file into a tight, enclosed passage.

Seafood restaurant a well-known restaurant departed from the building and transferred to St Andrews in Fife in 2024.

In a statement, its owners said building work had forced them to alter the restaurant's look, adding that "guests were entitled to a superior experience".

It is also home to popular eatery a chain – which has placed large notices on the framework to notify customers it is operating as usual.

Missed Deadlines

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

But the firm has said that is not the case, referencing "extremely complex" building problems for the postponement.

"We expect starting to dismantle parts of the framework near the finish of 2026, with further improvements ongoing after that," a statement read.

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

Local and Conservation Frustration

A conservation official, director of conservation group the a local association, said the work had reinforced the city's reputation of being "slow" for urban works.

She said those associated with the project had a "public duty" to reduce inconvenience and should blend the work into the city's design.

She said: "It causes the experience for those on foot in that part of town very hard.

"It is puzzling why there is not an effort to bring it into the urban landscape or develop something more artistic and avant-garde."

Ongoing Efforts

A company representative said work on "measures to aesthetically improve the site" was continuing.

They stated: "We recognize the frustrations felt by local residents and shops.

"This has been a long and drawn-out process, reflecting the complexity and magnitude of the remedial work required, however we are committed to finishing this necessary work as soon as is practicable."

Ms Meagher said the local authority would "maintain pressure" on those involved to complete the project.

She said: "This scaffolding has been a negative presence for years, and I understand the frustration of locals and nearby shops over these ongoing postponements.

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