Fans of photography are angry that plans to turn the Royal High School in Edinburgh into a national photography centre have been scrapped.

Instead, the Calton Hill site will become a ‘world class’ hotel, developed by Duddington House Properties.

Supporters of the Hill Adamson project, as it was known in reference to the pioneering photographer once based in the area, are disappointed that no real funding was found.

The council pulled out of talks with the supporters as a result of a lack of funding, although First Minister Alex Salmond was said to still be hopeful for the project just a few months back.

However, the funding issue has led the council to strike a deal with Duddington for the development of an ‘art hotel’ in the old school.

Former plans by Duddington to develop a similar hotel in the former Odeon cinema, in the city’s South Clark Street, also proved controversial.

Graeme Murdoch, the chief executive of the photography centre project, stated, "It's a hugely complex building and will be extremely expensive to turn into a hotel. It would be hard to see how they could maximise the fantastic views from the building without making significant changes."

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