GLASGOW is gearing up to host the Scottish Entertainment Awards, highlighting the brightest and best across the country.

The fourth annual awards, billed as Scotland's "largest and most prestigious hospitality event", will take place at the Thistle Hotel in Glasgow tomorrow evening.

The event is the only major awards scheme in the hospitality industry open to public vote - and this year's awards look more popular than ever with 60,000 people casting their vote compared to 50,000 last year.

More than 50,000 businesses throughout Scotland entered the awards event which has now been narrowed down to 96 finalists across18 categories which include Best Live Entertainment Venue, Best Fine Dinning Restaurant and Best Wedding Venue.

Award winning stand up comedian and Scottish Capital Radio breakfast DJ Des Clarke will host the event with entertainment being provided by a 16-strong brass band, singer Barbara Bryceland- who appeared in BBC's The Voice- and boy band rewind.

This year's event has been further strengthened with the addition of a new category- Scotland's favourite Gay Friendly Venue with Glasgow's Waterloo Bar, located on Argyle Street making it onto the list of five finalists.

The Favourite Fine Dinning Restaurant has three Glasgow contenders- The Honours at Malmaison, Brian Maule and Cail Bruich- along with Edinburgh's Wedgwood The restaurant and Purslane.

The current trend of gourmet burger outlets has resulted in the Best New Burger category which has Glasgow's Bread Meats Bread, Alston Bar & Beef and Burger Meats Bun listed in the list of five finalists.

Three Glasgow venues - Maggie Mays, Wild Cabaret and the Riding Room - and Renfrew's Normandy Hotel are up for the category of Best Live Entertainment Venue.

Wild Cabaret is also nominated in the Best Late Night Venue alongside other local spots Light Nightclub and The Howlin' Wolf.

Six of the ten names competing in the mixologist category are from Glasgow and include Callum Davidson from Chaophraya, Emily Thomas from Katie's Bar, Jamie Shields from Hummingbird, Ian Sanderson from Tiki Bar, Vincenzo Safonte from Mediterraneo and Paul Anderson from Riding Room.

Another of the categories where Glasgow dominates is Best Newcomer which has Casa Russo, The Anchor Line, The Scullery and Drygate in the list of six finalists.

Michael Drummond Macfarlane, Press and Events Coordinator at the organisers, Paramount Creative, said: "We're delighted to have had so many votes for the different categories this year.

"The total is 10,000 more than we received in 2014. We couldn't be happier.

"We want to celebrate Scotland's amazing hospitality and entertainment scene, which is growing every year,"

CEO Warren Paul said: "We are delighted by the response this year, and for a relatively new event I am over the moon to see how big it has become."