PLYMOUTH stands a good chance in this year's Enterprising Britain 2008 Awards, according to the city's Chamber of Commerce.

The awards will take place in London on Thursday, October 16, and the chamber believes the city could scoop the top prize.

Only 12 cities remain in the final and chamber of commerce representatives will make their way to the capital for the grand final to represent Plymouth.

Elaine Budd, business growth project manager with Plymouth's Chamber of Commerce, said: “It is a fab opportunity for our city to be recognised nationally for being the most enterprising place in the UK.”

Plymouth was named the most enterprising place in the South West in May, as part of the Government's Enterprising Britain competition.

Judges visited Plymouth at the end of June to decide how the city will fare when it comes to the grand final.

They visited the Theatre Royal, the Airport Business Centre and The Herald offices to see how Plymouth stacks up against other regional winners.

Enterprising Britain 2008 is a nationwide competition run by Make Your Mark on behalf of the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.

Locally it is also run in partnership with the South West Regional Development Agency.

Now in its fourth year, the competition celebrates and rewards those places of enterprise excellence that have helped transform the social and economic fortunes of their area.

Against stiff competition, the judges said Plymouth had been recognised for its 'shared sense of purpose, its progress in increasing enterprise activity and for its aspiration to become the enterprise capital of the South West'.

But it is still up against plenty of other British cities in its fight for enterprise glory.

This year's judging panel includes Peter Jones, of Dragons Den fame, and James Murray Wells who, at 21, launched Glasses Direct, the largest direct seller of spectacles in the world.

Elaine Budd said: “The judges have highlighted Plymouth and Hull as having enough quality to win the contest.

“We have so many success stories which could help us win.

“The business adviser in Devonport, the new diplomas which will be run in city schools from September, the Plymouth Summer Festival.

“We are really looking forward to the final. Fingers crossed – we could be champions.”