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Positioned on the most frequented avenues in the heart of Scotland's heritage-rich city centre looms a monolith of construction framework.

For five years, the establishment on the corner of a key historic street and a major bridge has been a shrouded blight.

Travellers cannot book rooms, foot traffic are squeezed through confined passages, and establishments have abandoned the building.

Repair work began in 2020 and was only expected to last a few months, but now fed-up residents have been told the structure could remain until 2027.

Prolonged Deadlines

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 city representative has called it a "negative feature" on the area, while preservation advocates say the work is "very troublesome".

What is transpiring with this seemingly endless project?

A Problematic Past

The sizeable hotel was constructed on the site of the old regional authority offices in 2009.

Figures from when it first opened under the Missoni Hotel banner, put the build cost at about thirty million pounds.

Work on the building got underway not long after the start of the Covid pandemic with the hotel itself closed to guests since 2022.

A lane of traffic and a sizable stretch of sidewalk leading up to the intersection of the Royal Mile 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 confined, sheltered corridor.

An eatery Ondine left the building and transferred to St Andrews in Fife in 2024.

In a release, its management said the ongoing project had compelled them to modify the restaurant's appearance, adding that "guests were entitled to a superior experience".

It is also hosts popular eatery a chain – which has placed large banners on the scaffold to notify customers it is still open.

Missed Deadlines

An update to the a city committee in January this year stated that the process of "revealing" the frontage would commence in February, with a full removal by the end of the year.

But the contractor has said that is not the case, referencing "exceptionally intricate" construction issues for the delay.

"We anticipate starting to dismantle parts of the structure near the finish of the coming year, with additional work continuing thereafter," the company commented.

"We are working closely with all parties to ensure we provide an improved site for the local area."

Community and Heritage Concerns

A heritage director, director of conservation group the an advocacy group, said the work had contributed to the city's reputation of being "protracted" for development.

She said those associated with the project had a "civic responsibility" to lessen inconvenience and should incorporate the work into the city's streetscape.

She said: "It causes the pedestrian experience in that part of town exceptionally challenging.

"It is perplexing why there is not a try to integrate it into the street view or develop something more aesthetic and avant-garde."

Project Response

A project spokesperson said work on "solutions to enhance the appearance the site" was ongoing.

They continued: "We acknowledge the irritations felt by local residents and shops.

"This constitutes a extended and complex process, reflecting the difficulty and size of the restoration required, however we are committed to finishing this essential work as soon as is possible."

The council leader said the council would "maintain pressure" on those accountable to wrap up the project.

She said: "This structure has been a blight for years, and I share the frustration of locals and area enterprises over these continued delays.

"Nonetheless, I also appreciate that the firm has a duty to make the building structurally sound and that this restoration has proved to be exceptionally difficult."