Golden Handbag Awards – The Countdown begins

With a month to the annual Golden Handbag Awards at the Brighton Metropole Hilton and two weeks left to vote, the outcome of this years awards promises to be the closest ever.

This year, 3,000 people voted in the first four days of online voting, smashing last years early doors vote which was less than half that figure.

As we put the print edition of June Gscene, to bed, the closest categories are Favourite Sunday Lunch, Favourite Hotel, Favourite Small Bar and Favourite Entertainer (singer).

The new category of Favourite Cafe is too close to call with 5 venues being in with a shout of winning and separated by only 15 votes.

In both the male and female bar staff categories the votes cast this year are more than double those of last year and there are less than 100 votes between the top five bar staff in both categories.

James Ledward, editor of Gscene Magazine said: “If you want your favourite barman or barwoman to be recognised as the best, then get voting. Similarly if you work behind the bar urge your customers to vote for you. Bar staff are the gateway to our community and are often the first point of contact when people come to live in or visit Gay Brighton. Their contribution is huge and should not be underestimated.”

If you have not registered your vote yet, click here:

Tickets are on sale for this year’s glittering awards ceremony, hosted by Lola Lasagne and featuring comediennes Zoe Lyons and Myra Dubois, powerhouse singer Jennie Castell and the brilliant Drag With No Name.

The awards will take place on Sunday, June 22 in the Oxford Suite at the Brighton Metropole Hilton Hotel.

There is just one pre-booked VIP table left for sale which seats 12 people and costs £240.

To book call 01273 749 947 or email: info@gscene.com

If you’re not on a VIP table, unreserved single tickets, costing £20 each can be purchased from Prowler, 112 St James’s Street, Brighton. Prowler don’t charge a handling fee for this service and all payments must be settled in cash in person at Prowler. These seats are not reserved and are allocated on the public tables on a first come, first served basis on the night.

Online voting this year closes on Friday, June 12 at midnight.