The best of everything in the city

Sep 20 2007 by Debbie Johnson, Liverpool Daily Post

Debbie Johnson visits a home where location is key for its owner

GLENN MAGUIRE recently moved from his home in Ormskirk to a new city centre apartment. The move has been a good one for the 33-year-old, who jointly runs the Liverpool-based post-production business Sparkle Media, providing CGI, animation and other visual effects for TV, film and video.

It means he is nearer his office in Duke Street, and can make the most of the opportunities for business, networking and socialising that the city centre offers.

“But,” he jokes, “what I’m saving in taxi fares, I’m spending on going out . . .”

Glenn lives in newly-built apartment block The Reach, on Leeds Street.

He says: “One of the reasons I chose it was because it was reasonably priced, and means I can enjoy all the benefits of living in town. It’s close enough to work to walk there and back as well.”

Glenn started Sparkle with Andy Cooper two years ago, and is proud of their achievements. Their clients include the BBC and other film and TV companies, and their projects include a 1½-hour interactive animation that will be used for the European Capital of Culture opening ceremony.

Glenn says: “Having a place in Liverpool is really handy when you work the hours I do. Being able to walk home after a night out is handy, too – although I must admit I’ve been lazy on a couple of occasions and got taxis back!”

When he is at home, Glenn loves to cook, especially spicy food like Thai.

He says: “One of the things I loved about this apartment was the really great fitted kitchen. There is a fabulous Smeg oven and a really huge fridge as well. It’s all in chrome with light wooden units and I do enjoy spending time in it.”

The kitchen is open-plan to the living and dining area, which is all painted white.

There is a brown leather sofa and small dining set, and the walls are decorated with French Art-Deco style prints.

The focal point of the living room is the TV. Glenn says: “It’s brilliant – a 32” HD screen.

“I claim it’s essential for work purposes!”

There is also a balcony: “You can fit a few people out there,” he says,” but as I’m scared of heights, it’s unlikely you will find me on it – it’s nice to look out of, though!”

The apartment has two bedrooms, with one used as a guest room/office. The master bedroom is spacious, painted in tones of beige with white bed linens and seagrass carpet.

He says: “The decor is really simple and plain. It is not overly cluttered, but I do have a collection of cameras. I love photography, I did a degree in it, and it developed into cinematography and the stuff I do now. As a result I have acquired a lot of old cameras, some of them 50 years old, and about nine Brownies.”

Glenn is also a keen musician, and keeps an acoustic guitar at home as well as two in his office for when the mood takes him.

He says: “I only moved in here in June, so I feel to some extent like I am only just getting used to it. But so far, so good – it is a really nice apartment, in a convenient location, and it allows me to work all the hours you need to put in when you have your own business without worrying about how I’m going to get home at the end of it.”

FOR more information, go to www.sparklemedia.co.uk