STUDENTS from a Hounslow School have won a competition by coming up with a retail business idea for an empty shop in High Street, Brentford.
During the past two months, schoolchildren across Hounslow have been working on potential business plans; the winning project was devised by a team at Hounslow Manor School.
Their idea - View It - was chosen by a panel of 'dragons' at last Friday's final, held at the Musical Museum, in Brentford.
When the new business opens in early 2011, it will provide job opportunities for local youngsters not in education, employment or training.
Ruth Cadbury, deputy leader of Hounslow Council, said: "In the current economic climate it is vitally important that we create new job opportunities for young people in the borough.
"Uniquely, the new social enterprise won't just employ young people, but will take the best retail business idea from sixth-formers and make it a reality. Business plans entered into the competition were rigorously examined against a set of criteria to identify a business that we hope will be financially viable, as well as socially and environmentally responsible."
The project is supported by businesses such as Traid and McDonald's, as well as local firms, including Vokins and Western International Market.
Kate Vintiner, general manager at Hounslow Education Business Partnership, said: "This is the first project of its kind in the UK and Hounslow Education Business Partnership is proud to be at the heart of it.
"Alongside the competition, we are training 10 young people who are currently unemployed in the borough to recruit the most motivated of them into the new retail business."
