Edinburgh shop owner says Victoria Street 'blighted' by hotel shrouded in scaffolding for 5 years

Andrew McRae, of John Kay's bookshop in Victoria Street, says it has been a nightmare running a business next door to the Radisson Collection Hotel on George IV Bridge, which is owned by investment company Aberdeen Asset Management.

Eighteen months ago, Victoria Street was voted the number one location in the UK for independent shops. It has also been named one of the most vibrant and colourful streets in the country and the most photographed street in Edinburgh.

Andrew McRae outside his shop in Victoria Street | supplied

The hotel opened in 2009 as the Missoni but was later rebranded as G&V and is now advertised as Radisson Collection. Scaffodling went up in 2020 and although the renovation project was due to be completed with 12 months, investigations found “several complex issues that needed to be addressed”.

Mr McRae said: "When the works were announced I raised concerns about the impact it would have on our business. Even at 12 months, with all the scaffolding, my concern was it could be business critical to have so much disruption but I was given warm words and assurances.

"I'm absolutely horrified it now seems to be a never-ending construction project."

Seafood restaurant Ondine, which was located in the same building as the hotel, closed at the end of last year, with the buildings works cited as a key factor.

The former Missoni hotel - now Radisson Collection - on George IV Bridge | TSPL

And Mr McRae said: "It's terrible for the whole street- the appearance of the street is completely blighted because now the site is a target for anti-social behaviour, there is regular graffiti being sprayed on hoardings and the contractors or developers don't even seem to bother to even repair that.

"I almost feel like they're delinquent neighbours. They're threatening local businesses around them, yet the building is owned by one of the biggest fund managers in the country. It does feel a bit like big business couldn't care less about its impact on its neighbours.

“Victoria Street is one of the few streets in the city centre that still has a good mix of independent businesses, so why should this project be allowed to threaten the ambience, the look and everything?

"I'm not saying the street is empty, we've still got people coming, but if you're only coming to Edinburgh for a few hours and you're walking down George IV Bridge and you see this appalling building site you might not glance down there and think you just want to keep going."

Mr McRae said his shop had been damaged by water ingress caused by building materials stored on the terrace directly above the premises blocking the gullies.

And he said local businesses experience constant disruption because of the construction project. "On a daily basis the contractors block off the area around our shops so they can take deliveries in and out of the site. As far as I was aware that should be happening out of hours, but they're just doing it at their own convenience.

“I just get told to get lost if I raise it with any of the staff. But as a retailer, if people cannot move freely back and forth in front of my premises I'm not going to have any customers.

"At the beginning the developer did agree to put some signage up saying Victoria Street is still open, but if you look at it today it's all covered in graffiti and that just sums it up - it feels neglected, as if nobody really cares about it."

And he is frustrated that there seems to be nothing happening to speed the project up. “Given the significance of that site to the city, I’m very perplexed at how it seems to just run at its own speed. How long did it take to build the original hotel - maybe about three years? We’re now five years in with apparently no end in sight.”

Last year the city council told the company of its concern at the “excessive delays” and the fact that part of the roadway was out of use due to the work. In response, Aberdeen said the works were “now in their final stages” and the first of the scaffolding would come down by the end of February, with the final sections removed in November. However, no scaffolding appears to have been taken down.

Council leader Jane Meagher said: “This scaffolding has been a blight for years and I completely share in Andrew McRae’s frustration. I also appreciate that the contractor has a responsibility to make the building safe and that this restoration has proved to be hugely complex.

I’m pleased that an end is in sight - particularly for local businesses and residents who have experienced years of disruption and restricted access - with the owners planning to complete the project this year. We’ll continue to put pressure on the occupiers to complete the project as soon as possible, having already unanimously agreed a motion last year to promote greater urgency.”

Former council leader Donald Anderson said: “It's tragic that the works have gone on so long and with such a severe impact on the Victoria Street and George IV Bridge area. It was heartbreaking to see Ondine close at that location because of the works and it would be tragic if there was any risk of more closures.”

An Aberdeen spokesperson said: “Aberdeen is currently working with the original contractor Sir Robert McAlpine on essential repairs to the building.”

A Radisson Hotel Group spokesperson said: “We eagerly await the completion of the works by the property owners so that we can resume our business in the thriving city of Edinburgh.”