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Positioned on the most frequented avenues in the centre of Scotland's ancient city sits a giant structure of metal poles and platforms.

For five years, a prominent hotel on the intersection of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and a major bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Visitors find no available accommodations, walkers are directed through confined passages, and establishments have abandoned the building.

Remedial work started in 2020 and was originally estimated to last a short period, but now fed-up residents have been told the structure could remain until 2027.

Prolonged Deadlines

The main contractor, the primary firm, says it will be "near the finish" of 2026 before the initial parts of the scaffold can be removed.

A local authority figure Jane Meagher has labeled it a "negative feature" on the area, while preservation advocates say the work is "very troublesome".

What is going on with this seemingly endless project?

A Problematic Past

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

Figures from when it originally launched under the a designer banner, put the cost of construction at about £30m.

Remedial efforts began soon after the start of the coronavirus outbreak with the hotel itself closed to guests since 2022.

A lane of traffic and a large section of footpath leading up to the intersection of the Royal Mile have been closed off by the project.

People on foot going to and from the a nearby area and Victoria Terrace have been forced in a line into a narrow, covered walkway.

A dining establishment a well-known restaurant quit the building and transferred to a different location in 2024.

In a statement, its owners said the ongoing project had obliged them to change the restaurant's look, adding that "customers deserved better".

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

Slipped Schedules

An update to the a city committee in early this year suggested that the process of "exposing" the frontage would commence in February, with a complete dismantling by the close of the year.

But SRM has said that is incorrect, referencing "highly complicated" construction issues for the delay.

"We project starting to dismantle parts of the scaffold near the finish of 2026, with subsequent enhancements ongoing after that," a statement read.

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

Community and Heritage Concerns

A conservation official, head of heritage body the an advocacy group, said the work had added to the city's reputation of being "slow" for urban works.

She said those involved in the project had a "public duty" to reduce disturbance and should integrate the work into the city's streetscape.

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

"It is perplexing why there is not a try to bring it into the street view or develop something more aesthetic and avant-garde."

Ongoing Efforts

A official statement said work on "solutions to beautify the site" was in progress.

They continued: "We acknowledge the annoyances felt by local residents and shops.

"This has been a long and drawn-out process, reflecting the difficulty and scale of the restoration required, however we are dedicated to finishing this necessary work as soon as is feasible."

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

She said: "This scaffolding has been a problem for years, and I share the annoyance of residents and local businesses over these persistent hold-ups.

"However, I also recognize that the contractor has a obligation to make the building structurally sound and that this repair has been exceptionally difficult."