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On one of the most popular thoroughfares in the heart of Scotland's ancient city sits a monolith of construction framework.

For the past 60 months, a prominent hotel on the corner of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and a major bridge has been a covered eyesore.

Tourists find no available accommodations, pedestrians are squeezed through tight corridors, and commercial tenants have abandoned the building.

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

Further Delays

The construction firm, the primary firm, says it will be "towards the end" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the frame can be dismantled.

Edinburgh's council leader a council official has called it a "eyesore" on the area, while preservation advocates say the work is "highly inconvenient".

What is happening with this seemingly endless project?

A Troubled History

The sizeable hotel was developed on the site of the previous regional authority offices in 2009.

Estimates from when it originally launched under the Missoni Hotel banner, put the cost of construction at about thirty million pounds.

Remedial efforts started shortly 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 junction of the Royal Mile have been left out of action by the project.

People on foot going to and from the Lawnmarket and Victoria Terrace have been compelled one after another into a tight, enclosed passage.

An eatery Ondine quit the building and moved to another city in 2024.

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

It is also the location of restaurant chain Pizza Express – which has displayed large signs on the structure to inform customers it is open for business.

Slipped Schedules

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

But the firm has said that is incorrect, pointing to "extremely complex" building problems for the postponement.

"We anticipate starting to take down portions of the structure near the finish of next year, with additional work ongoing after that," a statement read.

"Efforts are underway closely with the relevant stakeholders to ensure we create an better site for the community."

Community and Heritage Concerns

A heritage director, lead of conservation group the an advocacy group, said the work had added to the city's reputation of being "protracted" for urban works.

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

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

"It is perplexing why there is not some attempt to incorporate it within the streetscape or create something more creative and innovative."

Project Response

A official statement said work on "measures to beautify the site" was in progress.

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

"This constitutes a long and drawn-out process, reflecting the difficulty and magnitude of the remedial work required, however we are committed to concluding this essential work as soon as is feasible."

The council leader said the council would "maintain pressure" on those involved to complete the project.

She said: "This scaffolding has been a problem for years, and I echo the annoyance of locals and local businesses over these continued delays.

"However, I also recognize that the contractor has a duty to make the building safe and that this repair has turned out to be extremely complicated."