A new lease of life

Feb 15 2007 by Debbie Johnson, Liverpool Daily Post

Debbie Johnson meets the man who has just moved into his new apartment which has the 'Bold Street factor'

BOLD STREET is one of Liverpool's most well-known thoroughfares, steeped in history and character.

One of the early "rope walks", it started life in the 18th century, and these days it is a haven for anyone looking to shop, eat or drink, as well as simply enjoy the beauty of its buildings and its unique atmosphere.
 
The renovation of nearby areas such as Wood Street and Concert Square has lent it a whole new lease of life.
 
Mark Whitfield, 34, is just writing his own history on Bold Street, having moved in to a new apartment there just over a week ago.

When he decided to move to the city centre from Mossley Hill, he always had Bold Street in mind.
 
"It is really lively, but in an interesting and quirky way," he says. "It just has something special about it, and of course, it is really beautiful - especially if you look up and see the different mixes of architecture from different eras. There is so much you wouldn't expect to see."

Mark, an IT manager for mental health NHS trust Mersey Care, originally came to view a different apartment in is building, but chose the one-bedroomed second-floor flat that he now lives in.
 
He says: "There was the Bold Street factor, but also the apartment is quite big.

"A lot of the one-bedroomed places I looked at were tiny. There was barely room for a bed in there. Plus this one is near FACT, where I practically spend half my life!"
 
The windows of the apartment actually look out at the corner of FACT on one side, and towards the Catholic Cathedral on the other.