Campaign to save island castle steps up a gear

A bid to save a Category A listed castle on the Isle of Rum is moving forward.

An asset transfer to secure the future of Kinloch Castle is currently being considered by the Scottish Government.

The castle, currently closed except for limited tours of a few rooms, has been used in the past as a hotel and hostel. Accommodation for overnight visitors on Rum was cut by more than half when Scottish Natural Heritage closed the castle hostel which used to sleep 55 and this led to a drastic reduction of visitors at a time when the rest of the Highlands has been experiencing a massive upturn in tourism.

The socio economic effect on the Rum community has been marked with the population falling from 42 to 22. Several separate matters have come together to make now the right time to change this.

The Rum community became self governing in 2007 and has started to develop businesses which need better opportunity to grow. MOWI has created a fish farm which has brought more work to Rum and they are also supporting new housing stock, which is also badly needed.

Kinloch Castle Friends Association agreed to look into the feasibility of asset transfer of the castle and submitted their business plan to the Scottish Natural Heritage in May this year.

Kinloch Castle on the Isle of Rum

KCFA have employed heritage surveyor Hugh Garratt of Smith and Garratt to consider in detail the future of the castle and to draw up plans to renovate the building and give it a future as a medium range bed and breakfast facility also providing evening meals and a bar as well as much needed accommodation for the disabled.

The plans have been passed by Highland Council who have also agreed to some alterations to improve the long term future and flexibility of the building. The legal framework is in process of being drawn up so that if asset transfer is agreed, work can be started.

Additional work is needed to provide long term accommodation for staff and also to provide a sufficient and reliable energy source. Energy is currently provided by the hydro electric plant installed by Sir George Bullough, who had the castle built in 1897. It is now insufficient to provide for the island community as well as the increased needs of the castle.

Due diligence by the KCFA has shown that once the castle is opened, with 50 beds, there will be sufficient use to go quickly from break even to surplus which would then be ploughed back into further improvements.

Previous proposals involved closing the castle entirely for several years in order to renovate the entire building and contents before opening for business. KCFA plans to make necessary repairs to the whole but only open part of the castle, the former hostel, and then as phase two to renovate the current ‘museum’ rooms for use as high end hotel rooms and for functions.

Inside Kinloch Castle

Imagine a murder mystery weekend set here – there are already several novels using Kinloch Castle and Rum as the main scene and one of these, Sleep by Cally Thomas, is to be filmed shortly as the island and castle make an ideal film set. The basement will include a fully fitted out room suitable for schools, universities or other visiting groups to use as a study or meeting area. Fibre internet is already a feature of Rum, as one of the established businesses has taken this forward for the Hebrides.

Extra accommodation both for groups and individuals will create employment opportunities within the castle and also for new and extended businesses to provide services of many kinds on Rum and from the wider Small Isles and Lochaber area.

These could include the provision of kayaking and canoeing facilities, extending Ranger activities, but also various workshops on art, photography, wildlife, the list is endless. During the renovation work there will also be extensive opportunities for training in specialist building skills, particularly during Phase 2 when many traditional skills will be needed, including fancy plasterwork and stained glass repair.

A recent Facebook exercise showed that affection for and interest in Rum is great and the desire is there for the castle to be renovated and brought back to a new life fit for the 21st Century. We wait to hear if the lifeline will be handed out which will improve the lives of the island community.

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