🔗 Share this article What's Happening with Edinburgh's Scaffold-Wrapped Hotel? Scaffolding surrounding the hotel on a major city bridge may not be entirely dismantled until 2027. Positioned on the most frequented avenues in the heart of Scotland's historic capital stands a monolith of construction framework. For five years, a prominent hotel on the corner of the famous Royal Mile and a major bridge has been a plastic-wrapped eyesore. Tourists cannot book rooms, walkers are squeezed through confined passages, and establishments have left the building. Repair work commenced in 2020 and was initially projected to last a short period, but now frustrated residents have been told the framework could persist until 2027. Prolonged Deadlines The main contractor, the lead company, says it will be "towards the end" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the structure can be removed. The city's political leader Jane Meagher has described it as a "eyesore" on the area, while heritage campaigners say the work is "highly inconvenient". What is transpiring with this apparently perpetual project? Unwrapped - how the hotel is presented in its intended state on the brand's website. Background Issues The sizeable hotel was built on the site of the old Lothian Regional Council offices in 2009. Projections from when it originally launched under the a designer banner, put the development expense at about thirty million pounds. Remedial efforts got underway soon after the start of the global health crisis with the hotel itself closed to guests since 2022. A lane of traffic and a significant portion 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 Lawnmarket and a neighboring street have been forced in a line into a confined, sheltered corridor. A dining establishment a popular spot quit the building and transferred to another city in 2024. In a release, its operators said the ongoing project had obliged them to change the restaurant's facade, adding that "customers deserved better". It is also the location of popular eatery Pizza Express – which has placed large signs on the structure to notify customers it is still open. Photographs show the the property during development in September 2008 (left) and the scaffolding beginning in 2020 (right). Slipped Schedules An communication to the a city committee in early this year indicated that the process of "uncovering" the façade would begin in February, with a total takedown by the close of the year. But the contractor has said that is not the case, referencing "exceptionally intricate" construction issues for the delay. "We expect starting to dismantle parts of the framework towards the end of the coming year, with additional work continuing thereafter," they said. "We are collaborating closely with everyone involved to ensure we deliver an enhanced site for the community." Local and Conservation Frustration A conservation official, director of heritage body the Cockburn Association, said the work had added 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 lessen disruption and should integrate the work into the city's streetscape. She said: "It causes the walking experience in that area of the city really difficult. "It is puzzling why there is not some attempt to incorporate it within the streetscape or produce something more artistic and innovative." Pedestrians have been obliged to walk down a confined sheltered walkway on part of the street. Ongoing Efforts A company representative said work on "solutions to aesthetically improve the site" was ongoing. They continued: "We understand the irritations felt by nearby inhabitants and businesses. "This has been a lengthy and protracted process, highlighting the difficulty and magnitude of the remedial work required, however we are committed to completing this essential work as soon as is possible." The official said the council would "keep applying pressure" on those responsible to finish the project. She said: "This framework has been a blight for years, and I echo the frustration of inhabitants and local businesses over these ongoing postponements. "However, I also appreciate that the contractor has a responsibility to make the building secure and that this remediation has proved to be hugely complex."