The 2008 Oxfordshire Business Awards will be bigger and better than ever before. That is the view of awards committee chairman Paul Lowe after reviewing this year's entries.

About 120 companies have entered which is a ten per cent rise on last year.

Mr Lowe said: "The most pleasing aspect is that we have created an additional large business category and we are delighted to see some of bigger businesses in the Oxfordshire area have entered this category.

"Entries are also diverse ranging from sole traders through to some of the largest companies in Oxfordshire employing hundreds of people with turnovers running into millions."

The awards are now into the judging stages with each of the sponsors going out to visit many of those who have entered the various categories.

The process culminates in a meeting on May 8, after which a shortlist of finalists for each of the 12 categories will be announced.

Then, on June 20, a gala dinner will be held at the Four Pillars Hotel, Sandford, when the winners will be announced.

This year's event will be themed to be a Celebration of Oxfordshire Businesses and up to 500 people will attend, making it the largest in the awards' history and the biggest event of its kind in Oxfordshire this year.

More than 280 tickets have been sold already with TV presenter Mike Brewer acting as compere and a new audiovisual and lighting company, Corprate Events, handling the staging and presentation. Mr Lowe added: "The awards dinner promises to be a much larger and glitzier affair than in previous years and will be a true celebration for the businesses of Oxfordshire."