🔗 Share this article What's Happening with the Capital's Scaffold-Wrapped Hotel? Scaffolding enveloping the hotel on a major city bridge may not be fully removed until 2027. Along the most popular thoroughfares in the centre of Scotland's historic capital sits a imposing sight of scaffolding. For half a decade, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the junction of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and the adjacent bridge has been a plastic-wrapped eyesore. Visitors find no available accommodations, walkers are funneled through narrow walkways, and businesses have left the building. Remedial work commenced in 2020 and was only expected to last a brief duration, but now frustrated residents have been told the scaffolding could stay in place until 2027. Extended Timelines The construction firm, the lead company, says it will be "close to the conclusion" of 2026 before the first sections of the scaffold can be removed. A local authority figure Jane Meagher has described it as a "negative feature" on the area, while heritage campaigners say the work is "very troublesome". What is going on with this seemingly endless project? Unwrapped - how the hotel looks scaffold-free on the company's website. A Troubled History The sizeable hotel was developed on the site of the previous regional authority offices in 2009. Projections from when it initially debuted under the a designer banner, put the development expense at about £30m. Construction activity began soon after the start of the Covid pandemic with the hotel itself closed to guests since 2022. A lane of traffic and a significant portion of sidewalk leading up to the intersection of the tourist drag have been rendered unusable by the development. Pedestrians going to and from the an adjacent district and a neighboring street have been required single-file into a narrow, covered walkway. A dining establishment a popular spot quit the building and relocated to St Andrews in Fife in 2024. In a comment, its operators said the ongoing project had obliged them to change the restaurant's look, adding that "customers deserved better". It is also the location of popular eatery Pizza Express – which has hung large banners on the structure to inform customers it is open for business. Images show the the building under construction in September 2008 (left) and the project beginning in 2020 (right). Delayed Plans An report to the a local authority committee in the start of the year indicated that the process of "uncovering" the exterior would commence in February, with a full removal by the close of the year. But the firm has said that is incorrect, referencing "exceptionally intricate" building problems for the delay. "We anticipate starting to dismantle sections of the scaffold towards the end of 2026, with subsequent enhancements continuing thereafter," the company commented. "We are collaborating closely with all parties to ensure we provide an enhanced site for the public." Community and Heritage Concerns A heritage director, lead of heritage body the an advocacy group, said the work had contributed to the city's reputation of being "slow" for urban works. She said those associated with the project had a "obligation to the public" to minimise disturbance and should blend the work into the city's aesthetic. She said: "It renders the walking experience in that area of the city very hard. "It is perplexing why there is not a try to integrate it into the streetscape or create something more creative and cutting-edge." Shoppers have been required to walk down a confined covered walkway on a section of the road. Project Response A project spokesperson said work on "solutions to beautify the site" was continuing. They stated: "We acknowledge the annoyances felt by the community and businesses. "This constitutes a long and drawn-out process, highlighting the difficulty and magnitude of the restoration required, however we are focused on completing this vital work as soon as is feasible." The council leader said the council would "maintain pressure" on those accountable to wrap up the project. She said: "This structure has been a blight for years, and I share the frustration of locals and area enterprises over these persistent hold-ups. "However, I also appreciate that the firm has a duty to make the building safe and that this repair has been exceptionally difficult."