The Ongoing Issue with the Capital's Plastic-Shrouded Hotel?

Positioned on the most frequented avenues in the heart of Scotland's ancient city stands a monolith of construction framework.

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

Tourists cannot book rooms, walkers are squeezed through narrow walkways, and commercial tenants have left the building.

Restoration efforts began in 2020 and was initially projected to last a brief duration, but now fed-up residents have been told the framework could persist until 2027.

Extended Timelines

The construction firm, the main contractor, says it will be "close to the conclusion" of 2026 before the initial parts of the structure can be removed.

A local authority figure a city representative has called it a "blight" on the area, while preservation advocates say the work is "highly inconvenient".

What is happening with this notoriously protracted project?

A Troubled History

The 136-bedroom hotel was constructed on the site of the previous regional authority offices in 2009.

Estimates from when it first opened under the a designer banner, put the cost of construction at about a significant sum.

Remedial efforts began shortly after the start of the coronavirus outbreak with the hotel itself closed to guests since 2022.

A section of the street and a significant portion of pavement leading up to the intersection of the tourist drag have been left out of action by the project.

Pedestrians going to and from the an adjacent district and Victoria Terrace have been forced one after another into a tight, enclosed passage.

An eatery a popular spot quit the building and moved to St Andrews in Fife in 2024.

In a release, its owners said the ongoing project had obliged them to change the restaurant's appearance, adding that "customers deserved better".

It is also the location of dining franchise Pizza Express – which has displayed large signs on the framework to remind customers it is still open.

Missed Deadlines

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

But SRM has said that will not happen, pointing to "exceptionally intricate" construction issues for the postponement.

"We anticipate starting to take down sections of the scaffold towards the end of the coming year, with further improvements ongoing after that," they said.

"We are working closely with the relevant stakeholders to ensure we create an enhanced site for the local area."

Local and Conservation Frustration

A conservation official, lead of conservation group the Cockburn Association, said the work had reinforced the city's reputation of being "leisurely" for development.

She said those involved in the project had a "obligation to the public" to reduce disturbance and should blend the work into the city's streetscape.

She said: "It is making the walking experience in that part of town very hard.

"It is perplexing why there is not some attempt to integrate it into the urban landscape or develop something more aesthetic and avant-garde."

Continued Work

A official statement said work on "ideas to beautify the site" was continuing.

They continued: "We recognize the annoyances felt by nearby inhabitants and enterprises.

"This has been a lengthy and protracted process, highlighting the difficulty and scale of the restoration required, however we are committed to finishing this necessary work as soon as is practicable."

Ms Meagher said the local authority would "maintain pressure" on those responsible to wrap up the project.

She said: "This framework has been a blight for years, and I understand the frustration of inhabitants and nearby shops over these persistent hold-ups.

"However, I also appreciate that the company has a duty to make the building secure and that this restoration has turned out to be extremely complicated."