CITY Access Scaffolding is entering a new phase focused on operational efficiency and controlled growth, building on its existing talent, systems, and delivery processes, the directors behind the central Scotland-based firm’s recent management buyout have told Project Scotland.
The buyout follows co-founders Jonathan and Kirsty Allan stepping away from the business after a gradual transition out of day-to-day operations, while co-founder Mark Skinner has remained a constant throughout. An external sale was explored in early 2024, however approaches from venture capital investors were ultimately rejected, with the directors choosing to retain control of the business they had built and protect the people behind it.
“This wasn’t driven by money,” Mark said. “We’ve seen what happens when businesses get absorbed into larger groups, they lose their identity. That’s not fair on the people who built this company and continue to drive it forward.”
Mark Skinner, co-founder and managing director, has acquired full ownership of City Access Scaffolding, with operations director Ryan Scott and commercial director Ross Archibald becoming shareholders through the company’s new internal ownership model. The firm explained that this approach is designed to keep control of the business within the company and avoid the common pitfalls seen across the industry, where firms can lose direction or ultimately close when ownership passes to those without the same drive, involvement, or understanding of the business, or when an owner retires or decides to shut the doors to release capital, leaving the workforce to deal with the consequences.
By creating a clear pathway for the next generation of leaders to earn their way into ownership, the model is intended to provide long-term stability and continuity, while protecting the culture and standards the business has been built on. There are no plans for wholesale operational change, with the focus instead on refining delivery, improving planning and consistency, and making better use of the systems and experience already in place, allowing for organic growth without diluting the level of service that has been built, which remains the priority.
“Over the past few years, we’ve been streamlining the business and improving how we operate,” Ryan explained. “Now it’s about building on that, making sure everything is aligned and performing as it should before we look at any new ventures.”
Having invested heavily in its workforce in recent years, Mark acknowledges the business carried excess labour through the well-documented delays across the construction sector in 2025. Rather than reduce headcount and risk losing well-trained operatives to the wider market, the decision was made to retain that capability, reflecting a people-first approach and a belief in showing loyalty to those who have helped build the business.
This allowed the company to deliver delayed projects as they came back online without having to return to a limited labour pool, while remaining well positioned as activity picked up across Glasgow and Edinburgh.
City Access Scaffolding was founded in 2014 by Kirsty Allan, Jonathan Allan, and Mark Skinner. Kirsty led business development and marketing, while also establishing the company’s branding and laying the foundations for its apprenticeship programme. Jonathan set the standard for quality, and Mark led the technical delivery and development, with all these elements coming together to drive the company’s early growth.
Today, the business employs over 55 people, operates a bespoke apprenticeship programme, and has delivered projects ranging from Edinburgh Castle and Gleneagles Townhouse to the Edinburgh School of Music, alongside a strong portfolio of work across the public and private sectors.
Much of that growth has been built on consistent standards, reliability, and a focus on developing people from within. Ryan joined in 2021 from a competitor and quickly established himself through his work ethic and commitment, bringing a fresh energy to the team. With a background spanning health and safety, engineering, and operations, he has added both structure and balance to the business, progressing from QHSE manager to technical director and now operations director and co-owner. “I never would have thought this would be possible, going from being on the tools to co-owner,” Ryan added. “What Mark, Johnny, and Kirsty have built is a legacy business, there’s a real pathway here if you’re willing to put the work in.”
“We’ve got a strong culture and work ethic here,” Mark explained. “We think differently as a business, it’s very much a positive, problem-solving culture where people take ownership and look for solutions rather than issues. That’s what sets us apart, and it’s why we put so much focus on developing our own people within that environment, so they naturally grow into how we operate and contribute to it.”
Ross Archibald, now commercial director and co-owner, joined the business following a working relationship on a previous project where he acted as quantity surveyor for a client. Ross initially came on board in a freelance capacity, quickly integrating into the team and bringing an edge and a different perspective that complemented the existing operation. It soon became clear he was a natural fit, leading to the opportunity to step into the role of commercial director as part of the new ownership structure.
“What stood out to me when I first worked with City Access was the quality of delivery and the attitude of the people behind it,” Ross said. “They had built a strong operational business with a fantastic reputation, but there was a clear opportunity to strengthen the commercial side and bring more structure to how that growth is managed.
“Since joining, the focus has been on improving visibility across the business, better planning, stronger commercial controls, and making sure we scale in a measured way without losing what makes City Access successful in the first place.
“We’re not chasing growth for the sake of it. It’s about sustainable growth with the right clients, the right projects, and the right people in place to deliver consistently. That gives us the platform to keep investing in the business and create opportunities for the next generation coming through.”
The new ownership team is developing a structured internal model that ensures the business retains control of its shares, with any outgoing director’s stake remaining within the company. The approach is designed to protect the business long-term while creating clear opportunities for progression for those already within it, giving people a genuine stake in the future and a reason to fully commit, knowing the company is invested in them.
“Not a lot of people get that opportunity,” Mark continued. “This isn’t about buying your way in, it’s about earning it. We’ll identify the right people, support their development, and when the time comes, give them the opportunity to step up.
“If people can see a genuine pathway and feel part of what’s being built, it creates a stronger, more committed business for everyone involved.”
A large proportion of City Access’ talent has been developed through its apprenticeship programme, with a continued focus on building individuals, not just operatives, and looking beyond traditional measures of potential.
“That’s where the rough diamonds are,” Mark said. “People get written off early, I was one of them, so was Ryan. They’re not problems, they just need a chance. The ones who take it and run with it are always the hardest working, and we’ll back them all the way because we’ve been there ourselves.”
2026 has already been a strong year for City Access and looks set to continue, with upcoming projects including the School of Music on Edinburgh Regent Road and a number of large projects within the Scottish capital’s city centre. The firm also recently delivered access at Edinburgh Castle to support the retrieval and return of the Scottish Crown Jewels, with the operation carried out under armed security.
The post-buyout transition was marked with a final directors’ lunch at the Sun Inn, a fitting reflection of how the business has always operated, with many of its key decisions shaped through day-to-day collaboration, informal discussions, and time spent together as a team.
“A large part of who we are today is down to Johnny and Kirsty,” Mark concluded. “They’ll always be a big part of City Access and will be remembered as part of the founding team by many of the future generations of leaders in the business. We’re building on that. Johnny’s drive for quality is part of how we operate every day, in how we deliver and how we communicate with both the team and our clients. Kirsty shaped how we present ourselves, how we interact, and how the business is seen. That foundation is staying, and we’ll continue to build on it, making sure the next generation of leaders are ready to take it even further.”
