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City centre scaffold to come down after five years

BBC A general view of the G&V Hotel on George IV Bridge in Edinburgh. The hotel is covered by scaffolding with a white sheet over it. Green netting covers another part of the scaffolding. A red covered walkway goes around the bottom. The road is in the foreground.BBC
The G&V Hotel on Edinburgh's George IV Bridge has been covered with scaffolding for almost five years

Scaffolding which has covered a hotel building in Edinburgh city centre is to be removed in November – five years later than planned.

Work on the G&V Hotel on George IV Bridge was scheduled to be completed by late 2020.

However, a series of delays owing to "complex construction issues" left the five-star accommodation and below pavement and road covered by building works for almost five years.

City of Edinburgh Council confirmed a timescale for completion of the work had been received, with the scaffolding to be taken down in stages by the end of the year.

Former council leader Cammy Day described the project as a "blight on the local historic environment" at a meeting of the local authority in August last year.

He called for owners Radisson to be charged for the overrun of the project.

The 136-bedroom hotel, built on the site of the former Lothian Regional Council offices, opened in 2009.

However, scaffolding was erected for "remedial work" shortly before the start of the Covid pandemic in 2020.

A covered walkway under the G&V Hotel development. The sides are white. Part of the road can be seen through an opening on the right. A ceiling light surrounded by a cage is on the roof.
Pedestrians have been forced to walk down a narrow covered walkway on part of the street

A business update to the local authority's transport and environment committee said the process of "uncovering" the façade would begin in February.

They said council officers would work with the site owners to "minimise the impact of the development on residents, businesses and other road users".

"Over the past four years, the owner of the building, and their contractor, have been carrying out further investigations, undertaking a design process for the issues identified at the time of the initial works and carrying out remedial works on site," they said.

"The remedial works are now in their final stage, and a timeframe for completion and removal of the scaffolding has been received.

"Council officers are working with the site delivery team to improve signing, guarding and the visual impact of the site."

'Heart of our Old Town'

Part of the road and a large section of pavement leading up to the corner of the Royal Mile have been left out of action by the development.

Pedestrians walking to and from the Lawnmarket and Victoria Terrace have been forced in to a narrow, covered walkway only allowing for people to walk in single file.

A seafood restaurant also quit the building last year, citing ongoing building work as the reason.

Ondine said it had "transformed the entire look and feel of the restaurant to look like the inside of a ship," but work meant it had been forced to "change its entire appearance".

In a statement in November last year, they added "customers deserved better".

Radisson have been contacted for comment.

Transport and environment convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson, said: "This is a welcome development on the issue.

"This particular building is in the heart of our Old Town and I hope that in the near future these works can be completed."