Complex and painstaking work is being carried out to secure what remains of the burned-out building on Princes Street in Edinburgh, the city council's leader has said.
The fire at the site of the old Debenham's department store in the Scottish capital gutted much of the building, with the street being closed since July 9.
Steelwork to be attached to facade
In the upper part of the structure, contractors are working to secure the gable ends of the B-listed building and its facade. The council said this work will involve steelwork being secured to the facade of the building with additional reinforcement inside.
Work to remove stone from the building is being carried out using a crane, but even slight gusts of wind have led to this being paused.
Police say street closed for foreseeable future
Police have already said that the section of Princes Street will remain closed for the foreseeable future, affecting tram and bus services for the city.
Edinburgh council leader Jane Meagher said: "Our focus remains on making sure that the public is safe, continuing our work on the site, and keeping the city moving."
She added: "These latest details demonstrate the complex and painstaking nature of the task at hand, and why making the building safe and restoring this key piece of Edinburgh's heritage will take time."
Meagher said: "I'm acutely aware of the impact that the closure of Princes Street is having across the city each and every day, and I want to reassure everyone that we're doing everything we can to ensure it reopens as soon as it's safe to do so."
She continued: "In the meantime, we'll continue to work closely alongside Edinburgh Trams and Lothian Buses to minimise disruption as much as we can across the network, particularly with the August festival season just around the corner."
