So it's no surprise that as the first anniversary of the ban loomed, he took the opportunity for another dig. At a party held by the pro-smoking lobby Forest, Hockney, who now lives full-time in Bridlington, bumped into Lynn Barber and, according to the Observer journalist, he is unlikely to be giving up cigarettes any time soon. According to Barber, Hockney travels to Baden Baden every few months to take the famous waters and ends his trip in the spa town with a less healthy pursuit – bulk buying enough cigarettes so he doesn't run short.

With the bottom falling out of the housing market, estate agents seeking for a new advertising gimmick could do worse
than look to Steve Haywood. The writer, desperate to escape the routine of his London life, set off on a voyage of discovery, hiring a narrowboat and heading North from Oxford and it was in Hebden Bridge that he found an oasis of middle-class charm. In his book, Narrowboat Dreams, he described the town and surrounding area as West Yorkshire's "ciabatta belt". Now that sounds a much nicer place to live than the county's much talked about Golden Triangle.

There have been musicals adapted from Bible stories and Abba songs, but until now no-one has attempted to set the delights of living in West Yorkshire to song. However, a production called simply Armley – The Musical is about to premiere this weekend, telling the tale of a property developer who visits the area hoping to snap up a bargain and ends up finding romance. The show is the brainchild of Boff Whalley, lead guitarist with Chumbawamba who has lived in Armley since 1982. "We thought it would be good to write a musical which pays tribute to this unique corner of Leeds," explained Boff. "We've tried to make it funny and informative and entertaining." Whether the musical set against the backdrop of red bricked streets makes it to the West End remains to be seen, but for those wanting a sneak preview, the show will be unveiled at Armley Mills Industrial Museum this Sunday.

You might be able to take the man out of Sheffield, but it seems you can't take Sheffield out of the man. Best-selling crime writer Lee Child is currently the toast of the literary world on both sides of the Atlantic. Given that Hollywood studios are already knocking on his door to turn his 12th novel Nothing to Lose into a blockbuster, news that he has been awarded a visiting professorship by the University of Sheffield (where he graduated in law many moons ago) might have been lost amid the adulation, but apparently not. Hearing the news, Child said: "I took up the visiting professorship because I was very flattered to be asked and because I wanted to show today's students that anyone can succeed eventually. It took me a bit of time to get where I am today, but once I had found my niche, something I am passionate about, everything else just seemed to fall into place.

"I'm really looking forward to visiting the university in November. It will be an opportunity to engage with staff, students and members of the local community, as well a chance to visit some of my old haunts. I feel like I never really left Sheffield though. I have relatives in the city and whenever I visit, I always feel at home."