THE city's top firms will go head to head tonight at the Crowne Plaza Hotel to see who will walk off with a Glasgow Business Award.

And Glasgow Chamber of Commerce has confounded the credit crunch by not only selling out places at the ceremony but increasing sales on last year by 12.5%.

Almost 500 city business figures will attend the event - up from last year's attendance of 420.

The awards, organised by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, is backed by the Evening Times as media partner with the paper sponsoring the Glasgow's Favourite Business category.

Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, says the sell-out is testament to both the hard work of Chamber staff and the esteem in which the awards are held.

He adds: "Considering the challenges faced by all businesses over the last 12 months, it really is a tremendous achievement that the 2009 awards has attracted a bigger audience than last year.

"It will give us the chance toast the many business leaders - and the thousands of staff who support them - in helping Glasgow boast such an eclectic and dynamic mix of firms and enterprises."

Six city firms - Arnold Clark, City Markets LLP, Coia's Café, Glasgow Taxis, the SECC and the Q Club - are in the running for the coveted title of Glasgow's Favourite Business.

These firms have been joined on the shortlist by a further 24 Glasgow firms representing the very best of the business community from Scotland's biggest city.

The Award for Best Performing Business (25 employees or under) will be competed for by Clyde Marine Training, Glasgow Centre for Reproductive Medicine and Safety at Sea Ltd.

CCG (Scotland) Ltd, Howden and Thales are in the running for the Award for Best Performing Business (over 25 employees) while City Building (Glasgow) LLP, Radisson SAS Glasgow and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport vie for the Award for Sustainable Development.

Thales is also shortlisted in the Creative Marketing field where its rivals are The GO Group and ICS and in the Apprentice Employer of the Year section, where it is up against Arnold Clark and CLYDEUNION Pumps.

Finalists in the Glasgow Business Award for Equality and Diversity are Barclays Wealth, Cumbernauld College and Glasgow Marriott Hotel while Central College Glasgow, Ellen Conlin Hair & Beauty and Howden are the three nominees for the Excellence in Skills and Learning award.

Glasgow Housing Association, John Lewis and abica are the contenders for the Excellence in Customer Service title while the winners of Bank of Scotland Award for Most Outstanding Business, Evening Times Glasgow's Favourite Business and Glasgow Chamber of Commerce Award for Lifetime Achievement will all be announced on the night.

Check out tomorrow's Evening Times for details of the winners.