Watch: footage shows iconic Edinburgh hotel boarded up in lockdown

Pictures and footage show one of the Capital’s iconic buildings boarded up following recent lockdown measures.

Pictures and footage show one of the Capital’s iconic buildings boarded up following recent lockdown measures.

The Balmoral is one of many businesses across the city that has had to close amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Since the UK Government’s announcement on Monday that all non-essential businesses must close to prevent further infection, many hotels, restaurants, bars and shops in the Capital have shut.

The footage shows the hotel’s ground floor windows and entrances boarded up with a notice on display alerting guests about its closure.

The building’s main entrance has remained open for the last few days to allow staff in and out of the building.

But an employee has confirmed this afternoon that it will officially close its doors as of 5pm today until further notice.

Footage shows The Balmoral in Edinburgh boarded up following lockdown measures

General Manager Richard Cooke said: “As the situation regarding COVID-19 evolves in Scotland, we have been closely monitoring official guidance from the World Health Organisation and the UK and Scottish Governments.

“In accordance to the measures taken by the UK and Scottish Government, we have made the decision to suspend our operations at The Balmoral for a limited amount of time.”

He added the hotel has been an icon of hospitality in the city for decades and assured guests that the doors will open again when appropriate.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would not “sugarcoat” the pandemic and said it will be “the biggest challenge of our lifetimes.”

The latest ‘lockdown’ measures for the country will see the closure of all non-essential shops, libraries, playgrounds and outdoor gyms, and places of worship.

From now on, people must stay at home except for:

Essential shopping - for food or medicines and only once a day

Exercise - only once a day and alone, or with someone from your household

Medical reasons or for the care of vulnerable people

Travel to and from essential work - all employers should be making provision to work from home

Gatherings in public of more than two people who do not live together are to be prohibited and police have been told they can intervene if people are seen to be ignoring these measures.

The First Minister said yesterday: "Let me blunt. The stringent restrictions on our normal day to day lives that I'm about to set out are difficult and they are unprecedented. They amount effectively to what has been described as a lockdown.

"Stay at home. That is the message I gave yesterday and I am reinforcing that message now."

As of today, 719 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Scotland.

Sadly 22 patients have died so far in the country after contracting the virus.