The top businesses in Watford will be honoured for their “excellent service” to customers tonight. 

The Watford Bid Service Excellent Awards will be back for a second year at Watford Colosseum, in Rickmansworth Road, Watford. 

Hundreds of business owners around the town will be in attendance to represent their independent or multinational shop, restaurant or bar.

Members of voluntary groups and leisure providers have also made the finalists list, with winners being decided by the public.

The finalists were asked to provide information on how they deliver “excellent service” to their customers before being visited by a mystery shopper during November.

There is also the chance for individuals to win the Excellent Employee award category which will be determined by a panel of judges and the prize will be two tickets to the awards ceremony and a cash prize of £100.

There are 15 award categories. This year’s finalists are:

• Bank & building society: Halifax, Lloyds and TSB

• Bar: Bar Bodega, Faborje, Steinbeck & Shaw, The Columbia Press, Twisted Monkey, Walkabout

• Coffee shop & take-away: John Lewis - The Place To Eat, M&S Café, Ocean Bells and Subway - King Street

• Community & voluntary: British Polio Fellowship, Home Start Watford, Keech Hospice and Peace Hospice Care

• Consumer services: Flight Centre, Independent Mortgage Advice Bureau, Tailor & Co and Weston Opticians

• Estate agent: Dey King & Haria, Proffitt & Holt and Warren Anthony

• Hair & Beauty: Artisan Haircutters, Magic Nail Bar and Pearson Brown

• Independent retailer: Bang & Olufsen, Comic Parade, Fancy Dress Castle, Gibsons Butchers, Repertoire and SRS Microsystems

• Leisure: Everyone Active, Fitness 4 Less, The Comedy Loft, Watford Colosseum and Watford Palace Theatre

• Live music venue: The Horns, Molloys and Watford Colosseum

• National retailer: Boux Avenue, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Office Shoes, Phase Eight, Primark, Sainsburys and Wilkos • Nightclub: Hydeout, Pryzm and Reflex

• Professional services: Bottrills, Got People, Office Angels and Smart Cover Insurance

• Pub: Bosleys, Molloys, One Crown, The Horns, The Moon Under Water

• Restaurant & hotel: Barracuda, Jurys Inn, Middletons and Zizzi

For more information about Watford Bid, visit: watfordbid.co.uk