The Situation with Edinburgh's Scaffolding-Clad Hotel?

Along the busiest tourist streets in the heart of Scotland's heritage-rich city centre sits a giant structure of scaffolding.

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

Visitors find no available accommodations, pedestrians are squeezed through confined passages, and businesses have abandoned the building.

Remedial work began in 2020 and was originally estimated to last a short period, but now exasperated residents have been told the structure could persist until 2027.

Prolonged Deadlines

Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), the primary firm, says it will be "near the finish" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the structure can be removed.

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

What is transpiring with this seemingly endless project?

A Problematic Past

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

Projections from when it initially debuted under the a fashion-branded banner, put the cost of construction at about £30m.

Remedial efforts got underway shortly after the start of the coronavirus outbreak with the hotel itself closed to guests since 2022.

A section of the street and a significant portion of pavement leading up to the intersection of the historic street have been closed off by the development.

People on foot going to and from the a nearby area and Victoria Terrace have been forced in a line into a tight, enclosed passage.

An eatery Ondine departed from the building and transferred to St Andrews in Fife in 2024.

In a statement, its owners said the ongoing project had forced them to change the restaurant's facade, adding that "guests were entitled to a superior experience".

It is also hosts popular eatery a pizza restaurant – which has displayed large notices on the framework to notify customers it is still open.

Missed Deadlines

An update to the a local authority committee in early this year indicated that the process of "revealing" the exterior would commence in February, with a total takedown by the end of the year.

But SRM has said that is incorrect, referencing "exceptionally intricate" building problems for the delay.

"We expect starting to dismantle sections of the scaffold towards the end of the coming year, with further improvements proceeding afterwards," they said.

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

Local and Conservation Frustration

Rowan Brown, lead of preservation association the an advocacy group, said the work had contributed to the city's reputation of being "protracted" for construction projects.

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

She said: "It is making the experience for those on foot in that area of the city exceptionally challenging.

"It is perplexing why there is not some attempt to integrate it into the urban landscape or develop something more creative and cutting-edge."

Continued Work

A project spokesperson said work on "measures to enhance the appearance the site" was ongoing.

They continued: "We acknowledge the irritations felt by nearby inhabitants and shops.

"This represents a extended and complex process, demonstrating the complexity and scale of the remedial work required, however we are dedicated to completing this essential work as soon as is practicable."

The council leader said the city would "continue to put pressure" on those accountable to wrap up the project.

She said: "This framework has been a blight for years, and I share the annoyance of residents and area enterprises over these ongoing postponements.

"Nonetheless, I also recognize that the company has a responsibility to make the building structurally sound and that this repair has turned out to be extremely complicated."