Tension is mounting as 10 firms nervously await the results of this year’s Dartford and Gravesham Business Awards.

They have all won a framed certificate, but will only find out at about 10pm tonight at the Woodville, Gravesend, whether they have won a top or specialist prize.

In the eighth year of this prestigious contest, all 10 have done well to reach the finale, beating about 20 other hopefuls to a table at the gala dinner.

The awards celebrate the achievements of business across the area, underlining its credentials as a great place to start and grow an enterprise.

Council leaders John Burden (Gravesham) and Jeremy Kite (Dartford) and other VIPs will join staff and bosses from the dozen finalists to applaud their achievements and present certificates and prizes.

Sylvia Meade, chairman of the awards organising committee, said: "These awards continue to reach a new high and this year it has been a tough call for the judges. There is a lot of pride and hard work behind the considerable success of Dartford and Gravesham’s commercial sector."

The finalists are:

Amax Estates and Property Services, Parrock Street, Gravesend

Operates in lettings, property and block management. The company is also at the forefront of encouraging national and professional property trade organisations to develop apprenticeship schemes.

Coachwork Renovations, West Mill, Gravesend

Founded in 1976 when Fred Smith began repairing cars from his parents’ small domestic garage in Northfleet. The company offers a total vehicle repair and valeting service.

Dakar Cars, Birchwood Road, Dartford

Established in 1991 and with 16 staff, the garage has enjoyed expansion over the past year. It offers servicing, repairs, MOTs, tyres, sales and in particular, parts for all makes of vehicles, but specialising in Land Rover.

Dimples Daycare Nursery, Darenth

Still run 10 years on by dedicated hands-on owner Sandra Roles. It has enjoyed consistently good Ofsted reports, French and Spanish is taught alongside other subjects and Dimples is also now a Forest School with an emphasis on outdoor activity.

Enevis, Dartford

This company knows how to offer cost-saving, green energy services and solutions in modular building construction, mechanical and electrical engineering and renewable energy fields. It can design, construct and fit bespoke, money-saving buildings.

Hands On Group, Ebbsfleet

This environmentally green award-winning company works mainly with supermarkets and shopping centres, guaranteeing to clean a car to tip-top condition using a micro-fibre technique with only two litres of water.

Marks Demolition Contractors, Northfleet

This 10-year old firm has worked on the Blackwall Tunnel, the Armouries building at the Tower of London, the Queen’s Galleries and kitchen at Buckingham Palace.

MSO.Net, Dartford

This web development agency has been creating websites for the motorsport industry for more than 15 years. Nowadays the company has diversified into other sectors such as travel, pharmaceutical, education, not for profit and SMEs

Parrock Street Dental and Implant Centre, Gravesend

The practice aims to ensure that a visit relaxes even the most hardened dental phobe. Specialising in general and cosmetic dentistry including NHS, it also carries out dental implants, smile makeovers, orthodontics and Botox fillers

8point3 Led, The Bridge, Dartford

In only 21 months, this business has become a major player at the forefront of the fast developing LED lighting industry. This young, vibrant, local company operating on a national scale has taken the industry forward from simply replacing fluorescent tubes with inefficient, poor quality LED tubes to innovative bespoke fittings.