🔗 Share this article

On one of the most frequented avenues in the heart of Scotland's ancient city stands a imposing sight of scaffolding.

For five years, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the corner of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and George IV Bridge has been a plastic-wrapped eyesore.

Travellers cannot book rooms, foot traffic are directed through tight corridors, and businesses have left the building.

Restoration efforts began in 2020 and was originally estimated to last a brief duration, but now exasperated residents have been told the scaffolding could persist until 2027.

Extended Timelines

The construction firm, the main contractor, says it will be "towards the end" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the scaffold can be taken down.

Edinburgh's council leader a city representative has described it as a "negative feature" on the area, while conservationists say the work is "extremely disruptive".

What is happening with this seemingly endless project?

Background Issues

The establishment with 136 rooms was built on the site of the old Lothian Regional Council offices in 2009.

Projections from when it first opened under the Missoni Hotel banner, put the development expense at about thirty million pounds.

Work on the building began not long after the start of the coronavirus outbreak with the hotel itself not accepting visitors since 2022.

Part of the road and a sizable stretch of sidewalk leading up to the intersection of the historic street have been closed off by the development.

People on foot going to and from the an adjacent district and another locale have been required single-file into a narrow, covered walkway.

Seafood restaurant Ondine left the building and transferred to a different location in 2024.

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

It is also home to restaurant chain a pizza restaurant – which has hung large banners on the scaffold to inform customers it is still open.

Missed Deadlines

An update to the council's transport and environment committee in the start of the year stated that the process of "exposing" the exterior would commence in February, with a total takedown by the close of the year.

But the contractor has said that will not happen, citing "highly complicated" building problems for the postponement.

"We project starting to remove parts of the framework close to the conclusion of 2026, with further improvements ongoing after that," the company commented.

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

Community and Heritage Concerns

A conservation official, head of preservation association the an advocacy group, said the work had reinforced the city's reputation of being "leisurely" for development.

She said those associated with the project had a "obligation to the public" to reduce disturbance and should integrate the work into the city's aesthetic.

She said: "It causes the pedestrian experience in that section really difficult.

"It is perplexing why there is not a try to integrate it into the streetscape or develop something more creative and cutting-edge."

Ongoing Efforts

A company representative said work on "solutions to enhance the appearance the site" was in progress.

They continued: "We recognize the frustrations felt by the community and shops.

"This constitutes a extended and complex process, reflecting the difficulty and scale of the restoration required, however we are committed to completing this essential work as soon as is possible."

Ms Meagher said the local authority would "keep applying pressure" on those accountable to finish the project.

She said: "This structure has been a negative presence for years, and I echo the exasperation of residents and local businesses over these persistent hold-ups.

"That said, I also acknowledge that the contractor has a obligation to make the building secure and that this repair has been hugely complex."