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Positioned on the most popular thoroughfares in the heart of Scotland's heritage-rich city centre sits a monolith of scaffolding.

For half a decade, a prominent hotel on the junction of the famous Royal Mile and the adjacent bridge has been a plastic-wrapped eyesore.

Visitors cannot book rooms, walkers are directed through tight corridors, and businesses have left the building.

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

Extended Timelines

Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), the lead company, says it will be "close to the conclusion" of 2026 before the first sections of the structure can be removed.

Edinburgh's council leader a city representative has described it as a "negative feature" on the area, while conservationists say the work is "highly inconvenient".

What is happening with this apparently perpetual project?

A Troubled History

The 136-bedroom hotel was constructed on the site of the old regional authority offices in 2009.

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

Construction activity began not long after the start of the coronavirus outbreak with the hotel itself shut for business since 2022.

A section of the street and a sizable stretch of footpath leading up to the intersection of the tourist drag have been rendered unusable by the project.

Pedestrians going to and from the Lawnmarket and a neighboring street have been forced in a line into a tight, enclosed passage.

An eatery Ondine quit the building and moved to St Andrews in Fife in 2024.

In a comment, its owners said building work had compelled them to alter the restaurant's facade, adding that "customers deserved better".

It is also home to restaurant chain a chain – which has placed large banners on the structure to remind customers it is still open.

Missed Deadlines

An communication to the a local authority committee in January this year indicated that the process of "exposing" the frontage would begin in February, with a total takedown by the close of the year.

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

"We anticipate starting to remove portions of the scaffold near the finish of next year, with additional work proceeding afterwards," they said.

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

Community and Heritage Concerns

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

She said those associated with the project had a "obligation to the public" to reduce inconvenience and should integrate the work into the city's aesthetic.

She said: "It renders the pedestrian experience in that area of the city really difficult.

"It is puzzling why there is not some attempt to integrate it into the urban landscape or develop something more aesthetic and innovative."

Ongoing Efforts

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

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

"This constitutes a long and drawn-out process, demonstrating the complexity and magnitude of the restoration required, however we are focused on finishing this vital work as soon as is practicable."

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

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

"However, I also appreciate that the company has a responsibility to make the building secure and that this repair has turned out to be extremely complicated."