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Along the most frequented avenues in the heart of Scotland's ancient city stands a monolith of metal poles and platforms.

For the past 60 months, a prominent hotel on the junction of the famous Royal Mile and the adjacent bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Visitors are unable to reserve stays, pedestrians are funneled through tight corridors, and businesses have vacated the building.

Repair work started in 2020 and was only expected to last a brief duration, but now fed-up residents have been told the framework could remain until 2027.

Prolonged Deadlines

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

A local authority figure a council official has labeled it a "blight" on the area, while preservation advocates say the work is "very troublesome".

What is happening with this seemingly endless project?

A Problematic Past

The 136-bedroom hotel was built on the site of the previous Lothian Regional Council offices in 2009.

Figures from when it first opened under the a designer banner, put the build cost at about a significant sum.

Construction activity began shortly after the start of the Covid pandemic with the hotel itself closed to guests since 2022.

A lane of traffic and a large section of sidewalk leading up to the intersection of the historic street have been rendered unusable by the development.

Walkers going to and from the a nearby area and a neighboring street have been required one after another into a narrow, covered walkway.

Seafood restaurant Ondine departed from the building and relocated to St Andrews in Fife in 2024.

In a statement, its operators said construction activity had obliged them to alter the restaurant's look, adding that "patrons merited more".

It is also hosts restaurant chain a chain – which has displayed large signs on the structure to inform customers it is operating as usual.

Delayed Plans

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

But the firm has said that is not the case, pointing to "exceptionally intricate" construction issues for the delay.

"We project starting to take down sections of the scaffold near the finish of the coming year, with subsequent enhancements ongoing after that," they said.

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

Community and Heritage Concerns

A heritage director, director of heritage body the Cockburn Association, said the work had added to the city's reputation of being "slow" for development.

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

She said: "It causes the pedestrian experience in that section very hard.

"I don't understand why there is not some attempt to bring it into the urban landscape or produce something more aesthetic and avant-garde."

Continued Work

A company representative said work on "solutions to aesthetically improve the site" was in progress.

They stated: "We recognize the frustrations felt by nearby inhabitants and businesses.

"This has been a long and drawn-out process, demonstrating the complexity and magnitude of the restoration required, however we are dedicated to finishing this essential work as soon as is possible."

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

She said: "This scaffolding has been a blight for years, and I understand the annoyance of inhabitants and nearby shops over these persistent hold-ups.

"However, I also appreciate that the firm has a responsibility to make the building structurally sound and that this remediation has turned out to be hugely complex."