If people could be taken back half a century, what is the biggest change they would notice?

It might be the absence of traffic in many streets or the fact that there were only a few small black and white televisions about.

But it's likely that they would notice most of all how much people smoked, especially in public places.

Now smoking has been banned from most cinemas, theatres, offices and factories. But it's still surprisingly common in pubs and restaurants, where owners often think bans will get rid of good customers.

There are signs that trends are changing in Brighton and Hove as more restaurants gradually introduce no-smoking areas or even stop it altogether.

One of them is Quentins in Western Road, Hove, where chef Anthony Sturge has taken the decision for a personal and private reason.

His father Barry, aged only 53, is dying from throat cancer, which he admits has been caused by smoking.

So far the ban has met with an overwhelmingly-positive response which suggests it would be a good move by other restaurateurs worried about making the move.

Anyone thinking nostalgically about the Fifties and the freedom to smoke almost anywhere should remember one thing.

Deaths from cancer caused by cigarettes were far higher then.