The Pier Stores building dates from 1871 and was built by General Frederick William Trail-Burroughs. At this time, Burroughs also established the Rousay, Egilsay and Rendall Steam Navigation Company, and the Pier Stores was built for the company to hold cargo being transported to and from the island.
The Store was purchased in 2019 by the Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre Development Trust for the Community.
The Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre Heritage SCIO planned to renovate the building for use as a display space for larger artifacts and interpretation about the island’s maritime history. Its location, adjacent to the Rousay Heritage Centre made it ideal for this purpose.
The renovation involved extensive repairs to the roof and installation of velux windows to provide more interior light, rebuilding of the gable end, repointing, installation of new doors and work to the floor and exterior to make the building fully accessible.
The project was completed in Autumn 2024 and the new Centre will be open to the public in Spring 2025.
The story of the Island's intrinsic connection to the sea is told through interpretation about the pier's history, fishing, transport links and a timeline of important vessels in Rousay's past.
