🔗 Share this article What's Happening with the Capital's Scaffolding-Clad Hotel? The protective structure surrounding the hotel on a major city bridge may not be entirely dismantled until 2027. Along the most popular thoroughfares in the heart of Scotland's ancient city looms a monolith of scaffolding. For half a decade, a prominent hotel on the corner of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and the adjacent bridge has been a shrouded blight. Travellers find no available accommodations, foot traffic are squeezed through narrow walkways, and establishments have abandoned the building. Restoration efforts started in 2020 and was only expected to last a brief duration, but now frustrated residents have been told the structure could remain until 2027. Further Delays The main contractor, the primary firm, says it will be "towards the end" of 2026 before the initial parts of the frame can be taken down. The city's political leader a city representative has labeled it a "blight" on the area, while heritage campaigners say the work is "extremely disruptive". What is transpiring with this notoriously protracted project? As advertised - how the hotel appears scaffold-free on the brand's website. A Troubled History The establishment with 136 rooms was constructed on the site of the previous local government offices in 2009. Projections from when it initially debuted under the Missoni Hotel banner, put the development expense at about a significant sum. Construction activity started shortly after the start of the global health crisis with the hotel itself closed to guests since 2022. A section of the street and a sizable stretch of pavement leading up to the intersection of the tourist drag have been closed off by the project. Walkers going to and from the an adjacent district and a neighboring street have been required one after another into a tight, enclosed passage. A dining establishment a popular spot quit the building and transferred to a different location in 2024. In a comment, its management said building work had obliged them to alter the restaurant's appearance, adding that "guests were entitled to a superior experience". It is also hosts restaurant chain a pizza restaurant – which has placed large banners on the framework to inform customers it is still open. Images show the the building during development in September 2008 (left) and the project beginning in 2020 (right). Slipped Schedules An report to the council's transport and environment committee in early this year stated that the process of "uncovering" the frontage would begin in February, with a full removal by the year's end. But the contractor has said that will not happen, pointing to "extremely complex" building problems for the setback. "We project starting to dismantle portions of the scaffold near the finish of the coming year, with subsequent enhancements continuing thereafter," a statement read. "We are collaborating closely with the relevant stakeholders to ensure we provide an improved site for the public." Community and Heritage Concerns A conservation official, head of conservation group the an advocacy group, said the work had contributed to the city's reputation of being "slow" for development. She said those involved in the project had a "civic responsibility" to reduce disruption and should incorporate the work into the city's aesthetic. She said: "It is making the pedestrian experience in that section very hard. "It is puzzling why there is not a try to incorporate it within the streetscape or create something more aesthetic and cutting-edge." Pedestrians have been forced to walk down a confined enclosed walkway on part of the street. Project Response A official statement said work on "solutions to aesthetically improve the site" was ongoing. They stated: "We acknowledge the frustrations felt by the community and businesses. "This represents a extended and complex process, reflecting the difficulty and magnitude of the remedial work required, however we are focused on finishing this essential work as soon as is possible." The official said the council would "maintain pressure" on those involved to complete the project. She said: "This framework has been a blight for years, and I understand the frustration of locals and nearby shops over these ongoing postponements. "That said, I also appreciate that the firm has a duty to make the building structurally sound and that this restoration has proved to be hugely complex."