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On one of the most frequented avenues in the core of Scotland's heritage-rich city centre looms a giant structure of construction framework.

For the past 60 months, Radisson's G&V Hotel on the corner of a key historic street and the adjacent bridge has been a covered eyesore.

Visitors are unable to reserve stays, foot traffic are funneled through confined passages, and commercial tenants have vacated 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 persist until 2027.

Extended Timelines

The main contractor, the main contractor, says it will be "towards the end" of 2026 before the first sections of the frame can be removed.

A local authority figure a council official has described it as a "eyesore" on the area, while heritage campaigners say the work is "extremely disruptive".

What is going on with this seemingly endless project?

A Problematic Past

The establishment with 136 rooms was constructed on the site of the old local government offices in 2009.

Figures from when it originally launched under the Missoni Hotel banner, put the development expense at about thirty million pounds.

Remedial efforts began not long after the start of the Covid pandemic with the hotel itself shut for business since 2022.

A section of the street and a sizable stretch of footpath leading up to the junction of the historic street have been rendered unusable by the development.

People on foot going to and from the an adjacent district and Victoria Terrace have been forced single-file into a narrow, covered walkway.

An eatery a well-known restaurant departed from the building and transferred to St Andrews in Fife in 2024.

In a statement, its operators said construction activity had forced them to alter the restaurant's appearance, adding that "patrons merited more".

It is also hosts dining franchise a pizza restaurant – which has placed large notices on the scaffold to remind customers it is operating as usual.

Slipped Schedules

An communication to the a city committee in the start of the year indicated that the process of "revealing" the exterior would begin in February, with a total takedown by the end of the year.

But the contractor has said that is incorrect, citing "extremely complex" structural challenges for the setback.

"We expect starting to take down parts of the structure close to the conclusion of 2026, with further improvements ongoing after that," a statement read.

"We are collaborating closely with all parties to ensure we provide an improved site for the public."

Local and Conservation Frustration

Rowan Brown, lead of heritage body the Cockburn Association, said the work had reinforced the city's reputation of being "slow" for development.

She said those working on the project had a "civic responsibility" to reduce inconvenience and should integrate the work into the city's design.

She said: "It is making the walking experience in that section really difficult.

"It is perplexing why there is not some attempt to incorporate it within the street view or produce something more aesthetic and avant-garde."

Continued Work

A company representative said work on "ideas to aesthetically improve the site" was ongoing.

They stated: "We acknowledge the irritations felt by local residents and enterprises.

"This constitutes a extended and complex process, highlighting the difficulty and scale of the remedial work required, however we are focused on completing this vital work as soon as is possible."

Ms Meagher said the council would "continue to put pressure" on those involved to complete the project.

She said: "This scaffolding has been a blight for years, and I understand the exasperation of locals and nearby shops over these ongoing postponements.

"However, I also acknowledge that the firm has a duty to make the building secure and that this remediation has turned out to be extremely complicated."