🔗 Share this article The Ongoing Issue with the Capital's Scaffold-Wrapped Hotel? Scaffolding surrounding the hotel on George IV Bridge may not be entirely dismantled until 2027. On one of the most frequented avenues in the heart of Scotland's ancient city looms a monolith of metal poles and platforms. For five years, a prominent hotel on the junction of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and George IV Bridge has been a shrouded blight. Travellers cannot book rooms, walkers are directed through narrow walkways, and businesses have left the building. Repair work started in 2020 and was originally estimated to last a brief duration, but now exasperated residents have been told the framework could stay in place until 2027. Prolonged Deadlines The construction firm, the lead company, says it will be "towards the end" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the scaffold can be removed. The city's political leader a city representative has called it a "blight" on the area, while heritage campaigners say the work is "very troublesome". What is going on with this apparently perpetual project? Unwrapped - how the hotel looks in its intended state on the brand's website. A Problematic Past The establishment with 136 rooms was developed on the site of the previous local government offices in 2009. Estimates from when it initially debuted under the a designer banner, put the build cost at about thirty million pounds. Remedial efforts started not long after the start of the Covid pandemic with the hotel itself not accepting visitors since 2022. Part of the road and a sizable stretch of footpath leading up to the intersection of the historic street have been left out of action by the project. Pedestrians going to and from the an adjacent district and a neighboring street have been forced one after another into a narrow, covered walkway. A dining establishment Ondine quit the building and moved to a different location in 2024. In a statement, its owners said building work had obliged them to modify the restaurant's facade, adding that "customers deserved better". It is also the location of dining franchise a chain – which has hung large notices on the structure to remind customers it is open for business. Pictures show the the building under construction in September 2008 (left) and the scaffolding beginning in 2020 (right). Delayed Plans An update to the a city committee in January this year stated that the process of "exposing" the exterior would commence in February, with a total takedown by the end of the year. But the firm has said that is incorrect, referencing "exceptionally intricate" structural challenges for the delay. "We expect starting to take down parts of the structure towards the end of next year, with additional work continuing thereafter," they said. "We are working closely with all parties to ensure we deliver an better site for the public." Local and Conservation Frustration A heritage director, director of heritage body the an advocacy group, said the work had contributed to the city's reputation of being "leisurely" for construction projects. She said those associated with the project had a "obligation to the public" to reduce disruption and should integrate the work into the city's streetscape. She said: "It causes the pedestrian experience in that section really difficult. "I don't understand why there is not an effort to bring it into the street view or produce something more aesthetic and avant-garde." Tourists have been forced to walk down a narrow sheltered walkway on part of the street. Continued Work A company representative said work on "ideas to aesthetically improve the site" was continuing. They added: "We recognize the frustrations felt by local residents and shops. "This has been a long and drawn-out process, highlighting the difficulty and size of the repair work required, however we are focused on finishing this vital work as soon as is possible." The council leader said the council would "maintain pressure" on those responsible to wrap up the project. She said: "This scaffolding has been a negative presence for years, and I share the annoyance of residents and nearby shops over these continued delays. "However, I also acknowledge that the firm has a obligation to make the building safe and that this repair has turned out to be exceptionally difficult."