🔗 Share this article The Ongoing Issue with the Capital's Plastic-Shrouded Hotel? Scaffolding encasing the hotel on a major city bridge may not be entirely dismantled until 2027. On one of the most frequented avenues in the centre of Scotland's historic capital sits a imposing sight of construction framework. For the past 60 months, the establishment on the junction of a key historic street and the adjacent bridge has been a covered eyesore. Tourists cannot book rooms, foot traffic are funneled through tight corridors, and commercial tenants have vacated the building. Restoration efforts started in 2020 and was initially projected to last a short period, but now fed-up residents have been told the framework could remain until 2027. Further Delays The construction firm, the primary firm, says it will be "near the finish" of 2026 before the first sections of the structure can be dismantled. The city's political leader a council official has labeled it a "blight" on the area, while conservationists say the work is "highly inconvenient". What is going on with this seemingly endless project? As advertised - how the hotel appears without its covering on the company's website. A Troubled History The 136-bedroom hotel was developed on the site of the old Lothian Regional Council offices in 2009. Figures from when it initially debuted under the a designer banner, put the development expense at about thirty million pounds. Remedial efforts started not long after the start of the global health crisis with the hotel itself not accepting visitors since 2022. A lane of traffic and a large section of pavement leading up to the intersection of the tourist drag have been left out of action by the project. People on foot going to and from the an adjacent district and another locale have been forced in a line into a tight, enclosed passage. A dining establishment a well-known restaurant left the building and transferred to a different location in 2024. In a comment, its owners said construction activity had obliged them to modify the restaurant's look, adding that "customers deserved better". It is also home to dining franchise a pizza restaurant – which has displayed large banners on the structure to notify customers it is open for business. Pictures show the G&V Hotel being built in September 2008 (left) and the work beginning in 2020 (right). Slipped Schedules An update to the a city committee in the start of the year indicated that the process of "uncovering" the exterior would start in February, with a complete dismantling by the end of the year. But the firm has said that is not the case, referencing "highly complicated" structural challenges for the setback. "We expect starting to remove portions of the framework towards the end of next year, with further improvements proceeding afterwards," a statement read. "We are collaborating closely with everyone involved to ensure we create an better site for the local area." Community and Heritage Concerns Rowan Brown, head of heritage body the an advocacy group, said the work had contributed to the city's reputation of being "leisurely" for development. She said those involved in the project had a "obligation to the public" to lessen inconvenience and should incorporate the work into the city's design. She said: "It is making the walking experience in that section very hard. "It is puzzling why there is not a try to integrate it into the streetscape or produce something more aesthetic and avant-garde." Shoppers have been obliged to walk down a narrow covered walkway on a section of the road. Continued Work A official statement said work on "measures to aesthetically improve the site" was in progress. They added: "We acknowledge the irritations felt by local residents and businesses. "This constitutes a long and drawn-out process, demonstrating the difficulty and scale of the repair work required, however we are committed to concluding this essential work as soon as is possible." Ms Meagher said the city would "continue to put pressure" on those involved to wrap up the project. She said: "This framework has been a problem for years, and I share the annoyance of residents and area enterprises over these persistent hold-ups. "That said, I also acknowledge that the firm has a responsibility to make the building structurally sound and that this repair has turned out to be hugely complex."