🔗 Share this article

On one of the most popular thoroughfares in the core of Scotland's ancient city stands a imposing sight of metal poles and platforms.

For the past 60 months, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the junction of the famous Royal Mile and the adjacent bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Tourists cannot book rooms, walkers are funneled through confined passages, and establishments have abandoned the building.

Restoration efforts began in 2020 and was initially projected to last a short period, but now exasperated residents have been told the structure could remain until 2027.

Further Delays

The main contractor, the lead company, says it will be "close to the conclusion" of 2026 before the earliest portions of the frame can be taken down.

A local authority figure Jane Meagher has described it as a "eyesore" on the area, while heritage campaigners say the work is "highly inconvenient".

What is happening with this notoriously protracted project?

A Problematic Past

The establishment with 136 rooms was built on the site of the old regional authority offices in 2009.

Figures from when it originally launched under the a designer banner, put the development expense at about £30m.

Work on the building started shortly after the start of the coronavirus outbreak with the hotel itself shut for business since 2022.

A lane of traffic and a sizable stretch of footpath leading up to the corner of the tourist drag have been rendered unusable by the work.

Pedestrians going to and from the a nearby area and a neighboring street have been forced single-file into a tight, enclosed passage.

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

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

It is also hosts popular eatery Pizza Express – which has hung large banners on the scaffold to inform customers it is operating as usual.

Delayed Plans

An update to the a city committee in early this year suggested that the process of "exposing" the exterior would start in February, with a complete dismantling by the close of the year.

But the firm has said that is not the case, citing "extremely complex" structural challenges for the delay.

"We anticipate starting to take down portions of the structure towards the end of 2026, with additional work continuing thereafter," the company commented.

"We are working closely with all parties to ensure we create an better site for the community."

Local and Conservation Frustration

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

She said those involved in the project had a "civic responsibility" to minimise disruption and should blend the work into the city's aesthetic.

She said: "It renders the pedestrian experience in that part of town very hard.

"It is puzzling why there is not a try to integrate it into the streetscape or create something more aesthetic and cutting-edge."

Continued Work

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

They added: "We acknowledge the annoyances felt by nearby inhabitants and businesses.

"This represents a lengthy and protracted process, highlighting the difficulty and magnitude of the remedial work required, however we are dedicated to concluding this vital work as soon as is feasible."

Ms Meagher said the local authority would "continue to put pressure" on those involved to wrap up the project.

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

"That said, I also recognize that the contractor has a responsibility to make the building secure and that this restoration has been hugely complex."