This year sees the 25th anniversary of Philip Larkin�s death, which will be commemorated through a series of celebrations in Hull. The poet, novelist and jazz critic will be remembered through cultural events and exhibitions to celebrate his artistic and professional achievements, ensuring his place as one of the city�s cultural icons. One of the major projects for the Larkin25 programme will be the Larkin Trail; an interactive journey based on the key locations of Larkin�s life and work, beginning at the newly refurbished Royal Hotel, the landmark hotel where Larkin wrote his seminal poem, �Friday Night at the Royal Station Hull�.

To mark the start of the Larkin Trail, a 7ft tribute statue of the poet has been commissioned by sculptor Martin Jennings on Hull station concourse, leading visitors into The Royal Hotel. Jennings was one of three sculptors who presented ideas and scale models to an invited audience at the Royal Hotel in February, and his work will be unveiled on 2 December on the anniversary of the poet�s death. Launching in autumn 2010, the Larkin Trail will be a permanent installation, continuing to attract visitors to the region and introducing them to Larkin�s poetry for years to come. The trail will feature approximately 35 sites which are significant to Larkin, linking different aspects of his life and work to a sense of place and locality. A website, interactive media and trail map will give more extensive information on the buildings, streets and parks where Larkin lived, worked, visited and places which inspired his poetry.

The hotel has recently completed a substantial �1.5 million refurbishment by Focus Hotels, providing comfortable and stylish accommodation for guests visiting the city. The historic building has been carefully restored to combine the splendour of the Victorian era and the comforts of modern living, offering stylish accommodation whilst retaining the individuality and character of the building.

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Media information For further information please contact: Eleanore Longley, Flora Gandolfo or Jeff Bacall Bacall Associates, 63 Catherine Place, SW1E 6DY Tel: +44 (0) 8704 288 401 Fax: +44 (0) 8704 288 402 Email: firstname@bacall.net www.bacallassociates.co.uk

About Focus Hotels Founded in July 2007 by hospitality guru Peter Cashman and fellow board directors Alun Edwards and Tony Mylchreest, Focus Hotels provides management and management support services to hotels in key city centres and prime business destinations across the UK.

Offering management and consultancy to UK hotels in the mid-market, Focus Hotels draws on a formidable 60 years of hotel and hospitality industry experience at senior level and an in-depth understanding of the business environment to deliver consistent profitability in an increasingly competitive market.

The Focus Hotels portfolio currently includes 12 unique, credible three- and four-star properties. Focus Hotels is rooted in the belief that there is a strong opening in the current market for quality hotels offering good value and excellent service. Shying away from the ubiquitous standardised �formula� hotel, the group offers a wide variety of hotel styles at a range of excellent locations, all sharing one thing in common: a determination to offer friendly service, �home from home� comfort and great value.

CEO Cashman was a founding and main board director of Choice Hotels (CHE Group PLC) for over 20 years and has also held senior management roles with Centre Hotels (now mainly Holiday Inns), Trust House Forte, Comfort Hotels International and Ladbrokes Hotels (now Hilton). He is also currently a director of Kasterlee Ltd, an Irish based hotel brand which operates 10 four-star hotels in Ireland and the UK.

About Larkin25 Philip Larkin is internationally renowned and was voted the nation�s favourite post-war poet. He became Librarian at the Brynmor Jones Library at the University of Hull in March 1955 and spent most of his life in the city which �let him write�.

Larkin25 commemorates the 25th anniversary of his death with an extensive and varied programme of events commemorating the life and work of Philip Larkin and the city with which his creative and professional life is most associated. It will focus national and international attention on the prolific poet, novelist and jazz critic and on the creativity and cultural significance of Hull.

The 25 week season will run from June to December and will aim to engage the public and aficionados alike with Larkin inspired poetry, literature, arts, music, film and theatre, including works at Hull Truck, together with mass participation trails and events. Larkin25 will conclude with the unveiling of a permanent tribute to Larkin on the 25th anniversary of his death on 2nd December - a seven foot bronze statue by Martin Jennings to be located at Paragon Station (This is the same sculptor who created the highly acclaimed Betjeman bronze at London�s St Pancras railway station) Larkin25 is a not for profit company, established to deliver the 25 week commemorative programme. The founder members of Larkin25 are Hull City Council, the University of Hull, Visit Hull and East Yorkshire and the Philip Larkin Society.

Larkin25 partners and supporters include: East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Hull Truck, Beverley Literature Festival, the Humber Mouth Literarture Festival, Hull History Centre, Hull School of Art and Design, Creative Partnerships Hull and North Yorkshire, Artlink, Hull Library Service, East Yorkshire Motor Services, The Deep, Esteem, I Space, Hull Jazz, Arts Council England, Groundwork Wakefield, Write to Speak, Beverley Folk Festival, Classlane Media, and Hull Film. Larkin25 is funded through a combination of grants and earned income, as well as significant in kind support from project partners keen to support this opportunity to support creativity and economic development in Hull.

Larkin25�s strategic aims are to: � Celebrate the achievements of the greatest British writer since 1945 � Broaden public interest in, knowledge about and understanding of Larkin and his work within the City of Hull and beyond � Raise the cultural profile of the City nationally and internationally � Signal to those who live in Hull the importance that the City attaches to literature, creativity and literacy, and to its heritage. � Increase visitor numbers to the city and the city-region from the UK and mainland Europe

The creative aims of Larkin25 are to: � Involve the community in exploring literature, text-based and the visual arts using Philip Larkin�s work as a catalyst for engagement. � Place major works and events in the heart of the community to introduce new audiences to literature and the creative arts. � Celebrate Larkin�s work through creative re-interpretation in the exhibitions programme, through readings, publications and the Larkin Trail. � www.larkin25.co.uk