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Along the busiest tourist streets in the centre of Scotland's heritage-rich city centre stands a monolith of metal poles and platforms.

For the past 60 months, a prominent hotel on the junction of a key historic street and the adjacent bridge has been a plastic-wrapped eyesore.

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

Remedial work began in 2020 and was originally estimated to last a brief duration, but now exasperated residents have been told the framework could remain until 2027.

Prolonged Deadlines

Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM), the main contractor, says it will be "near the finish" of 2026 before the first sections of the scaffold can be taken down.

Edinburgh's council leader a city representative has labeled it a "eyesore" on the area, while preservation advocates say the work is "very troublesome".

What is transpiring with this apparently perpetual project?

A Problematic Past

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

Projections from when it initially debuted under the a designer banner, put the build cost at about thirty million pounds.

Remedial efforts started soon after the start of the coronavirus outbreak with the hotel itself shut for business since 2022.

A lane of traffic and a large section of sidewalk leading up to the intersection of the tourist drag have been closed off by the work.

Pedestrians going to and from the Lawnmarket and another locale have been forced in a line into a tight, enclosed passage.

A dining establishment Ondine left the building and relocated to a different location in 2024.

In a release, its management said the ongoing project had compelled them to change the restaurant's facade, adding that "patrons merited more".

It is also hosts restaurant chain a chain – which has placed large signs on the framework to remind customers it is operating as usual.

Slipped Schedules

An report to the a local authority committee in the start of the year stated that the process of "uncovering" the frontage would begin in February, with a total takedown by the close of the year.

But the contractor has said that is incorrect, pointing to "exceptionally intricate" structural challenges for the delay.

"We expect starting to remove portions of the framework near the finish of the coming year, with further improvements ongoing after that," they said.

"We are collaborating closely with everyone involved to ensure we deliver an improved site for the local area."

Local and Conservation Frustration

Rowan Brown, lead of preservation association the Cockburn Association, said the work had reinforced the city's reputation of being "leisurely" for construction projects.

She said those involved in the project had a "public duty" to minimise disruption and should integrate the work into the city's design.

She said: "It causes the experience for those on foot in that part of town very hard.

"It is puzzling why there is not an effort to integrate it into the streetscape or produce something more creative and cutting-edge."

Ongoing Efforts

A official statement said work on "solutions to enhance the appearance the site" was continuing.

They stated: "We recognize the irritations felt by the community and businesses.

"This has been a extended and complex process, demonstrating the difficulty and magnitude of the remedial work required, however we are focused on finishing this essential work as soon as is feasible."

The council leader said the city would "continue to put pressure" on those involved to wrap up the project.

She said: "This scaffolding has been a blight for years, and I share the frustration of locals and area enterprises over these persistent hold-ups.

"However, I also acknowledge that the company has a obligation to make the building secure and that this restoration has been exceptionally difficult."