IT is one thing to claim to be the best in the business – and quite another to put it to an independent test.

The Citizen and Gloucestershire Echo’s 2008 Business Awards represented an opportunity to do just that.

Now in its eleventh year, the awards night (stages this year on Thursday, October 9) has become a firmly established highlight of the region’s business calendar.

Adjudication is by a panel of experienced, impartial judges and winners are showcased in The Citizen and Gloucestershire Echo, as well as on-line at www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk and www.westbusiness.co.uk.

But it isn’t just the winners who benefit. Simply being profiled as a finalist or an entrant can bring opportunities to attract new customers, investment, fresh blood and ideas.

And importantly for the economic future of Gloucestershire, ALL the awards help attract attention to this region’s outstanding successes and produce a motivational trickle-down, encouraging others to try and emulate those successes.

This year’s awards and nominees are listed on this site under the categories section, including a new category sponsored by fledgling PR company Vivid - Communicator of the Year. (For a full list of the winners see this site from Friday, October 10).

Cheltenham Racecourse also comes on board. As well as hosting the awards evening itself - a gala dinner and ceremony at its Centaur - this year it also sponsored the Tourism/Leisure Business of the Year award.

For a full list of sponsors visit the sponsors page.

Editor in chief of The Citizen and Gloucestershire Echo, Ian Mean, said: “As a matter of principle both newspapers try to be positive wherever possible – and the Business Awards are a good and lasting example of that philosophy.

“We believe the entrants’ stories encourage a lot of others to try that little bit harder, and there is no doubt that constantly striving for a competitive edge is the way forward to a healthy local economy.”

Thanking sponsors for their support Gloucestershire Media MD Andrew Blair said: "Over the past decade the Business Awards have produced an impressive roll of winners – new and established companies – and in many ways is a barometer of local business vibrancy."