Ed Glinert was born in Dalston, just outside London's East End. He trained as a journalist and founded City Life, Manchester's what's-on and hard news magazine in 1983. In the 1990s he worked for Private Eye magazine, writing the Rotten Boroughs column about council corruption.

He has also contributed to the Sunday Times, Independent and the New Statesman. He was launch production editor for Mojo, the rock 'n' roll magazine. Glinert has written a number of books for major publishers including The London Compendium (2003) and East End Chronicles (2005). Since 2009 he has run the highly-successful New Manchester Walks tour company. He also guides in London and Liverpool.