Nine Acre Court is a tower block in Ordsall, sandwiched between an expanding Manchester city centre and a swelling Salford Quays. It's part of the landscape of my life having lived in three flats in the block over the years, firstly on the 17th floor, then on the 15th and finally on the 14th. At one point I knew people in at least twelve other flats and so it truly functioned as a vertical village. I still have friends there now but I haven't personally been in residence since the year 2000. I've always loved that the tower has its own place in popular culture. Yes Nine Acre Court is also the opening track of The Charlatans 1995 eponymously titled album, apparently inspired by lead singer Tim Burgess's happy memories of parties there. At one point there was also a vintage clothes shop in Afflecks Palace in Manchester named after the song, which was named after the block. Anyhow the reason I mention all this is because I've been revisiting today, ...