Old Man of Storr, Highland Council
Couples will be able to get married beneath one of Scotland’s most famous landscapes as wedding plans are expanded at the Old Man of Storr on Skye.
Highland Council has completed the latest £550,000 expansion of Ionad an Stòir, The Storr Centre, creating a new multi-purpose space which can be used for weddings and other events.
The development comes as fresh council figures reveal another successful year for the world-famous attraction, with more than 300,000 people visiting during 2025.
The new extension officially opened earlier this month and substantially increases the potential for couples to hold small weddings at the atmospheric location.
Wedding ceremonies were already possible at the Storr Centre, but previous plans were based around small gatherings of only around eight to 10 guests.
The expanded facilities have been designed to allow weddings of around 30 to 40 people. Plans previously presented to councillors also proposed the introduction of wedding packages and alcohol sales as part of efforts to generate additional income from the attraction.
The new multi-purpose area can also accommodate community events, while the development has doubled the amount of retail space available at the visitor centre.
It represents the latest stage in a transformation of visitor facilities at the Old Man of Storr as the spectacular rock formation has become one of Scotland’s busiest natural attractions. Around 205,000 people visited in 2022, rising to 293,000 in 2024 and more than 300,000 last year.
The growing number of visitors has allowed Highland Council to turn the site into a significant source of income.
In its first full year, the wider Storr operation generated a net surplus of £450,296. Money raised at the attraction has helped fund improvements both at the site and elsewhere on Skye, including road projects serving the Fairy Pools, Neist Point and Coral Beach.
Retail has also become an increasingly important part of the operation. The Storr Centre stocks products from local makers and suppliers, while the newly expanded shop provides additional space for Skye and Highland businesses.
The council says income generated through parking and retail has exceeded its original expectations and describes Storr as a potential model for generating tourism income which can then be reinvested in local infrastructure and services.
The Old Man of Storr has experienced extraordinary growth as a visitor destination over the past decade, helped by its prominence on social media and appearances in film and television.
The distinctive rock pinnacles form part of the Trotternish Ridge in the north of Skye and were created by an ancient landslip.
Rapid increases in visitors previously created significant pressure around the attraction, including congestion, roadside parking and erosion of the path.
More than £2 million has subsequently been invested in infrastructure including parking, toilets, improvements to the path network, electric vehicle charging, motorhome facilities and the visitor centre. The latest £550,000 phase was supported through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Highland Council said the additional facilities would allow the attraction to generate more income while supporting local businesses and creating more reasons for visitors to spend money in the area.