🔗 Share this article

Positioned on the most popular thoroughfares in the core of Scotland's ancient city stands a monolith of metal poles and platforms.

For the past 60 months, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the junction of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and George IV Bridge has been a covered eyesore.

Travellers cannot book rooms, foot traffic are funneled through tight corridors, and commercial tenants have abandoned the building.

Remedial work began in 2020 and was only expected to last a brief duration, but now fed-up residents have been told the structure could stay in place until 2027.

Further Delays

The construction firm, the main contractor, says it will be "close to the conclusion" of 2026 before the initial parts of the scaffold can be taken down.

A local authority figure a city representative has described it as a "negative feature" on the area, while conservationists say the work is "extremely disruptive".

What is going on with this seemingly endless project?

A Problematic Past

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

Estimates from when it first opened under the a fashion-branded banner, put the build cost at about £30m.

Construction activity started not long after the start of the Covid pandemic with the hotel itself not accepting visitors since 2022.

A section of the street and a large section of sidewalk leading up to the corner of the historic street have been closed off by the work.

Pedestrians going to and from the an adjacent district and another locale have been forced single-file into a tight, enclosed passage.

A dining establishment a well-known restaurant quit the building and transferred to another city in 2024.

In a statement, its management said building work had compelled them to alter the restaurant's facade, adding that "patrons merited more".

It is also home to restaurant chain a chain – which has placed large notices on the framework to remind customers it is operating as usual.

Missed Deadlines

An communication to the council's transport and environment committee in the start of the year suggested that the process of "uncovering" the façade would start in February, with a complete dismantling by the year's end.

But SRM has said that is not the case, referencing "exceptionally intricate" structural challenges for the setback.

"We anticipate starting to take down parts of the framework towards the end of 2026, with further improvements ongoing after that," a statement read.

"We are collaborating closely with all parties to ensure we deliver an better site for the local area."

Community and Heritage Concerns

Rowan Brown, director of heritage body the Cockburn Association, 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 minimise inconvenience and should integrate the work into the city's aesthetic.

She said: "It causes the pedestrian experience in that area of the city exceptionally challenging.

"It is puzzling why there is not a try to integrate it into the streetscape or develop something more creative and avant-garde."

Ongoing Efforts

A official statement said work on "solutions to enhance the appearance the site" was continuing.

They stated: "We understand the irritations felt by nearby inhabitants and businesses.

"This represents a long and drawn-out process, demonstrating the complexity and scale of the repair work required, however we are dedicated to completing this necessary work as soon as is possible."

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

She said: "This structure has been a problem for years, and I echo the exasperation of residents and area enterprises over these continued delays.

"That said, I also recognize that the company has a duty to make the building secure and that this remediation has turned out to be hugely complex."