THE best and brightest of Wiltshire’s businesses will be coming together for the 2018 Wiltshire Business Awards on Friday.

This year’s glitzy black-tie ceremony with 320 guests will be held at Centerparcs t Longleat at 7pm, where 36 finalists will compete for a variety of top gongs, including Businessperson of the Year, Start-Up Business and Services to the Community.

Eight businesses are leading the way this year after each achieving nominations in four categories.

Active Potential Therapy, Bewley & Merrett Funeral Directors, C4S-Search, Gooding Accounts, SMARTech energy, Bechtle, First City Nursing Services Ltd and Wiltshire Inch Loss Clinic have tied for the most nominations this year.

But who will follow in Imagine Cruising’s footsteps and bag the ceremony’s top honour, the Outstanding Excellence Award?

The Wiltshire Business Awards are organised by the Swindon Advertiser’s parent company Newsquest and supported by long-standing supporter Thrings, which is once again the overall sponsor for the awards as well as sponsoring the Outstanding Excellence Award.

Pete Gavan, editor of the Swindon Advertiser and its sister titles, the Gazette & Herald and the Wiltshire Times, said: “It’s a pleasure to once again be part of the Wiltshire Business Awards and I’m very much looking forward to the big night.

“It’s a well-deserved chance for the county’s best businesses to celebrate their considerable achievements.

“Good luck to all the finalists, I’m sure it will be a night to remember.”

BBC Wiltshire sponsors the Service to the Community award, RSM backs the Business Person of the Year title, and The Enterprise Network is supporting the start-up category.

Bespoke Training and HR4 Business has created an exciting new category focusing on Learning and Development, while C3 Marketing is sponsoring the Creative Marketing award and the Small Business category.

NatWest is sponsoring the Medium Size Enterprise title, while the team from Mainline is supporting the Customer and Staff Care trophy.

The winners will also be announced on Twitter: follow along with #WBizAwards18

Louise Cooper, Business Development Manager for Newsquest Wiltshire, said: "We're looking forward to meeting our winners, celebrating their success and having a great night."