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Along the most popular thoroughfares in the core of Scotland's heritage-rich city centre looms a monolith of metal poles and platforms.

For the past 60 months, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the junction of a key historic street and the adjacent bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Visitors are unable to reserve stays, walkers are directed through narrow walkways, and establishments have left the building.

Restoration efforts started in 2020 and was only expected to last a short period, but now exasperated residents have been told the structure could remain until 2027.

Further Delays

The main contractor, the primary firm, says it will be "towards the end" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the scaffold can be taken down.

A local authority figure a council official has described it as a "blight" on the area, while conservationists say the work is "extremely disruptive".

What is happening with this apparently perpetual project?

Background Issues

The sizeable hotel was developed on the site of the old regional authority offices in 2009.

Figures from when it first opened under the Missoni Hotel banner, put the development expense at about thirty million pounds.

Remedial efforts got underway shortly 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 sidewalk leading up to the corner of the historic street have been rendered unusable by the work.

Pedestrians going to and from the Lawnmarket and a neighboring street have been compelled one after another into a confined, sheltered corridor.

An eatery Ondine quit the building and transferred to a different location in 2024.

In a release, its management said the ongoing project had obliged them to modify the restaurant's facade, adding that "guests were entitled to a superior experience".

It is also home to restaurant chain Pizza Express – which has hung large banners on the framework to remind customers it is open for business.

Delayed Plans

An communication to the a city committee in the start of the year suggested that the process of "uncovering" the façade would begin in February, with a full removal by the year's end.

But SRM has said that is not the case, pointing to "exceptionally intricate" structural challenges for the setback.

"We expect starting to remove sections of the structure towards the end of 2026, with further improvements continuing thereafter," a statement read.

"Efforts are underway closely with the relevant stakeholders to ensure we provide an better site for the local area."

Local and Conservation Frustration

A conservation official, head of conservation group the Cockburn Association, said the work had added to the city's reputation of being "protracted" for development.

She said those involved in the project had a "civic responsibility" to minimise inconvenience and should blend the work into the city's streetscape.

She said: "It is making the walking experience in that section really difficult.

"It is perplexing why there is not some attempt to bring it into the streetscape or create something more aesthetic and avant-garde."

Continued Work

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

They stated: "We understand the irritations felt by the community and businesses.

"This constitutes a long and drawn-out process, highlighting the difficulty and scale of the restoration required, however we are committed to completing this vital work as soon as is possible."

The council leader said the local authority would "keep applying pressure" on those involved to wrap up the project.

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

"That said, I also appreciate that the firm has a responsibility to make the building safe and that this restoration has turned out to be exceptionally difficult."