🔗 Share this article The Situation with the Capital's Plastic-Shrouded Hotel? The protective structure encasing the hotel on George IV Bridge may not be entirely dismantled until 2027. On one of the most frequented avenues in the heart of Scotland's historic capital sits a giant structure of construction framework. For the past 60 months, a prominent hotel on the intersection of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and the adjacent bridge has been a covered eyesore. Travellers cannot book rooms, foot traffic are directed through tight corridors, and establishments have vacated the building. Remedial work commenced in 2020 and was originally estimated to last a brief duration, but now exasperated residents have been told the scaffolding could remain until 2027. Extended Timelines The construction firm, the lead company, says it will be "close to the conclusion" of 2026 before the initial parts of the frame can be taken down. Edinburgh's council leader Jane Meagher has called it a "negative feature" on the area, while conservationists say the work is "highly inconvenient". What is happening with this seemingly endless project? Unwrapped - how the hotel looks without its covering on the hotel's website. Background Issues The establishment with 136 rooms was constructed on the site of the previous Lothian Regional Council offices in 2009. Figures from when it initially debuted under the Missoni Hotel banner, put the cost of construction at about thirty million pounds. Remedial efforts began soon 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 pavement leading up to the intersection of the tourist drag have been left out of action by the project. Walkers going to and from the an adjacent district and Victoria Terrace have been compelled single-file into a narrow, covered walkway. An eatery a well-known restaurant departed from the building and transferred to a different location in 2024. In a comment, its operators said construction activity had obliged them to modify the restaurant's facade, adding that "patrons merited more". It is also home to popular eatery Pizza Express – which has displayed large banners on the scaffold to inform customers it is still open. Photographs show the G&V Hotel being built in September 2008 (left) and the scaffolding beginning in 2020 (right). Delayed Plans An update to the a city committee in January this year suggested that the process of "uncovering" the exterior would begin in February, with a total takedown by the year's end. But the firm has said that is not the case, citing "highly complicated" construction issues for the delay. "We project starting to take down portions of the scaffold near the finish of the coming year, with subsequent enhancements continuing thereafter," they said. "We are collaborating closely with everyone involved to ensure we deliver an enhanced site for the local area." Community and Heritage Concerns Rowan Brown, head of conservation group the Cockburn Association, said the work had reinforced the city's reputation of being "slow" for urban works. She said those working on the project had a "public duty" to lessen inconvenience and should blend the work into the city's streetscape. She said: "It causes the walking experience in that part of town exceptionally challenging. "It is perplexing why there is not an effort to incorporate it within the streetscape or develop something more aesthetic and innovative." Tourists have been required to walk down a confined enclosed walkway on a section of the road. Project Response A project spokesperson said work on "ideas to aesthetically improve the site" was ongoing. They added: "We recognize the annoyances felt by local residents and shops. "This constitutes a lengthy and protracted process, highlighting the intricacy and scale of the remedial work required, however we are committed to completing this vital work as soon as is possible." The official said the city would "maintain pressure" on those accountable to finish the project. She said: "This structure has been a negative presence for years, and I echo the frustration of residents and local businesses over these continued delays. "However, I also appreciate that the firm has a responsibility to make the building secure and that this restoration has proved to be exceptionally difficult."