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Positioned on the most frequented avenues in the heart of Scotland's heritage-rich city centre looms a monolith of metal poles and platforms.

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

Tourists cannot book rooms, foot traffic are directed through confined passages, and businesses have abandoned the building.

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

Extended Timelines

The construction firm, the lead company, says it will be "near the finish" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the scaffold can be taken down.

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

What is going on with this apparently perpetual project?

A Troubled History

The 136-bedroom hotel was built on the site of the former regional authority offices in 2009.

Figures from when it first opened under the Missoni Hotel banner, put the cost of construction at about thirty million pounds.

Work on the building began not long after the start of the coronavirus outbreak with the hotel itself shut for business since 2022.

A section of the street and a significant portion of sidewalk leading up to the junction of the Royal Mile have been closed off by the project.

People on foot going to and from the Lawnmarket and Victoria Terrace have been required single-file into a confined, sheltered corridor.

A dining establishment a popular spot departed from the building and moved to another city in 2024.

In a release, its operators said construction activity had obliged them to modify the restaurant's appearance, adding that "guests were entitled to a superior experience".

It is also home to popular eatery a chain – which has placed large signs on the framework to remind customers it is open for business.

Missed Deadlines

An communication to the council's transport and environment committee in early this year stated that the process of "uncovering" the façade would start in February, with a full removal by the end of the year.

But SRM has said that is not the case, pointing to "extremely complex" building problems for the delay.

"We project starting to take down portions of the scaffold close to the conclusion of next year, with subsequent enhancements ongoing after that," a statement read.

"We are working closely with everyone involved to ensure we create an better site for the public."

Community and Heritage Concerns

A conservation official, head of heritage body the a local association, said the work had reinforced the city's reputation of being "slow" for development.

She said those working on the project had a "civic responsibility" to minimise disruption and should integrate the work into the city's streetscape.

She said: "It causes the experience for those on foot in that part of town really difficult.

"I don't understand why there is not a try to integrate it into the urban landscape or create something more artistic and avant-garde."

Continued Work

A company representative said work on "measures to enhance the appearance the site" was continuing.

They added: "We recognize the annoyances felt by local residents and enterprises.

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

The council leader said the city would "maintain pressure" on those responsible to finish the project.

She said: "This framework has been a negative presence for years, and I understand the exasperation of locals and nearby shops over these persistent hold-ups.

"That said, I also appreciate that the contractor has a responsibility to make the building secure and that this repair has proved to be hugely complex."