The Ongoing Issue with the Capital's Scaffolding-Clad Hotel?

On one of the busiest tourist streets in the centre of Scotland's ancient city stands a monolith of scaffolding.

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

Visitors cannot book rooms, pedestrians are squeezed through tight corridors, and commercial tenants have vacated the building.

Restoration efforts started in 2020 and was only expected to last a few months, but now frustrated residents have been told the structure could remain until 2027.

Further Delays

The construction firm, the lead company, says it will be "near the finish" of 2026 before the first sections of the structure can be taken down.

The city's political leader a city representative has called it a "negative feature" on the area, while conservationists say the work is "highly inconvenient".

What is transpiring with this notoriously protracted project?

A Problematic Past

The sizeable hotel was constructed on the site of the old local government offices in 2009.

Projections from when it originally launched under the a designer banner, put the cost of construction at about thirty million pounds.

Remedial efforts got underway not long after the start of the coronavirus outbreak with the hotel itself closed to guests since 2022.

A section of the street and a large section of sidewalk leading up to the intersection of the tourist drag have been rendered unusable by the development.

Walkers going to and from the an adjacent district and another locale have been compelled one after another into a confined, sheltered corridor.

Seafood restaurant a popular spot left the building and moved to St Andrews in Fife in 2024.

In a comment, its owners said construction activity had obliged them to alter the restaurant's look, adding that "guests were entitled to a superior experience".

It is also home to popular eatery Pizza Express – which has displayed large banners on the scaffold to remind customers it is open for business.

Slipped Schedules

An communication to the council's transport and environment committee in January this year indicated that the process of "revealing" the frontage would begin in February, with a full removal by the year's end.

But SRM has said that will not happen, pointing to "highly complicated" construction issues for the setback.

"We anticipate starting to take down parts of the scaffold towards the end of 2026, with additional work ongoing after that," they said.

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

Community and Heritage Concerns

A heritage director, director of heritage body the a local association, said the work had contributed to the city's reputation of being "protracted" for construction projects.

She said those involved in the project had a "public duty" to reduce disruption and should blend the work into the city's streetscape.

She said: "It causes the walking experience in that part of town exceptionally challenging.

"I don't understand why there is not an effort to bring it into the urban landscape or create something more creative and cutting-edge."

Project Response

A company representative said work on "ideas to aesthetically improve the site" was in progress.

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

"This constitutes a long and drawn-out process, demonstrating the intricacy and scale of the remedial work required, however we are focused on finishing this vital work as soon as is practicable."

The council leader said the council would "keep applying pressure" on those accountable to wrap up the project.

She said: "This scaffolding has been a blight for years, and I echo the annoyance of residents and local businesses over these persistent hold-ups.

"That said, I also appreciate that the contractor has a duty to make the building structurally sound and that this remediation has turned out to be hugely complex."