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

For the past 60 months, a prominent hotel on the corner of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and a major bridge has been a covered eyesore.

Visitors find no available accommodations, foot traffic are squeezed through confined passages, and businesses have left the building.

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

Extended Timelines

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

The city's political leader a council official has called it a "eyesore" on the area, while heritage campaigners say the work is "very troublesome".

What is going on with this notoriously protracted project?

Background Issues

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

Estimates from when it first opened under the Missoni Hotel banner, put the build cost at about a significant sum.

Work on the building began not long after the start of the Covid pandemic with the hotel itself shut for business since 2022.

A section of the street and a significant portion of footpath leading up to the intersection of the historic street have been left out of action by the development.

Pedestrians going to and from the an adjacent district and Victoria Terrace have been compelled single-file into a tight, enclosed passage.

Seafood restaurant a well-known restaurant left the building and moved to a different location in 2024.

In a comment, its operators said building work had forced them to modify the restaurant's appearance, adding that "customers deserved better".

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

Slipped Schedules

An report to the a local authority committee in the start of the year suggested that the process of "uncovering" the façade would start in February, with a full removal by the end of the year.

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

"We expect starting to dismantle sections of the framework near the finish of the coming year, with subsequent enhancements ongoing after that," they said.

"We are working closely with everyone involved to ensure we deliver an enhanced site for the community."

Community and Heritage Concerns

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

She said those working on the project had a "obligation to the public" to lessen disruption and should integrate the work into the city's aesthetic.

She said: "It renders the walking experience in that part of town very hard.

"It is perplexing why there is not an effort to bring it into the street view or produce something more aesthetic and avant-garde."

Project Response

A official statement said work on "measures to enhance the appearance the site" was in progress.

They added: "We understand the irritations felt by nearby inhabitants and enterprises.

"This constitutes a long and drawn-out process, reflecting the intricacy and scale of the remedial work required, however we are dedicated to completing this necessary work as soon as is feasible."

The official said the local authority would "maintain pressure" on those involved to finish the project.

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

"However, I also acknowledge that the firm has a duty to make the building secure and that this repair has been hugely complex."