The six teenagers were taught a series of business consultant skills from Mindshop Excellence Training and were set a challenge by WEL to help identify possible retail opportunities for commercial units at West Shore Road.
The project, organised through Scottish Business in the Community and Mindshop Excellence Training, will involve the students conducting market research in the area and providing ideas and analysis of what would are viable options for the units and why.
The pupils, including 17-year-old Project Coordinator Amanda Hatchivadi of Wardie, volunteered to take part in the scheme.
WEL recently applied for outline planning permission for a 200-bedroom hotel at its Harbour Road C site, as well as a small provision of housing. Business from the 9675 sq m hotel will directly feed into the three surrounding business units detailed in the application. Aside from breakfast, the hotel will not have dining, drinking or shop facilities and the outside units will likely supply these to the hotel’s customers.
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The team, Amanda, Andrew Armes, David Eisner, David McLeod, Gary Stout and Nick Urquhart, will decide how the three units at the site could benefit three markets; the local community, workers from the surrounding industrial units, as well as the hotel’s customers.
WEL is committed to creating an inclusive and sustainable community, and supports local education, employment and social initiatives.
Andrew Millson, of Scottish Business in the Community, said: "WEL looks at regeneration in a refreshing way, by looking at the needs of the community."
The pupils were set their challenge on Monday November 10 and will report to WEL management on Friday November 14 with its findings.
WEL will incorporate the group’s market research, recommendations and findings when it is marketing the site to potential developers.
Jane Dennyson, Communications and Marketing Manager at Waterfront Edinburgh that is transforming Granton into a bustling city quarter, said: "This project is a fantastic way for young people to be involved in the work we are doing in Granton and forms a part of our continued focus to form links with the local community and education groups.
"This is an important piece of work they are doing. We are looking forward to hearing their suggestions and analysis of what people would like to see at Harbour Road C in the future."
