More than 66,000 votes have been received in The Herald's City & Waterfront Awards this year – a new record for the event. Organised in partnership with the Plymouth City Centre Company and Plymouth Waterfront Partnership, the awards are a celebration of business in Plymouth, and give city people the opportunity to have their say about the businesses they love.
Everyone on the shortlist is invited to the glittering awards ceremony at Plymouth Pavilions on October 20 when the winners will be revealed and honoured with their awards.
Voting opened on plymouthherald.co.uk in August after we invited businesses to put themselves forward in the categories below. Those businesses shortlisted are the ones who received the most votes - a panel of judges will chose the eventual winners.
The event itself is one of the highlights of the Plymouth social calendar, with nearly 600 attending last year and only made possible thanks to event partners the Plymouth City Centre Company and Plymouth Waterfront Partnership and our category sponsors.
In the weeks leading up to the event The Herald will profile each category in detail, paying tribute to all the hard work that goes into making our city such a vibrant place to do business. This year's shortlist has several previous winners on it, who proudly display their 'winner's front page', but also a few new faces as well - reflecting the diversity of trade on offer in Plymouth.
Paul Burton, editor of the Herald, said: "The City & Waterfront Awards presents Plymouth with an annual opportunity to celebrate and reward the businesses and individuals in the City Centre and Waterfront area of Plymouth who are helping to drive this wonderful city forward, economically, culturally and socially, towards its goal of becoming Europe's premier waterfront destination.
Best Tourism Event (with more than 5,000 people)
MTV Crashes Flavour Fest, British National Fireworks Championships, Armed Forces Day