As of early 2026, the future of Kinloch Castle on the Isle of Rum remains a subject of high-level negotiation and public interest. For several years, the "Brexiteer tycoon" and multimillionaire Jeremy Hosking was the leading potential buyer. Hosking, an investment tycoon and steam train enthusiast, was in advanced discussions with the current owners, NatureScot, to purchase the crumbling Victorian mansion for approximately £750,000 and invest millions into its restoration as luxury visitor accommodation. However, the sale faced significant hurdles and was even put on hold by the Scottish Government in 2023 following concerns raised by the Isle of Rum Community Trust regarding the long-term impact on the island's small population. In 2025, NatureScot again listed the property on the open market, seeking a buyer who could provide an "irrevocable pledge" to conserve the building and its unique contents (including a rare orchestrion) via a charitable trust. While Hosking remains a prominent figure in the conversation, the sale has become a complex test of "community wealth building" laws in Scotland. For now, the castle continues to be managed by NatureScot, though the hope remains that a private philanthropist or trust will finally secure the funds needed to save this "impossible" building from the brink of ruin.