The ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces is now such an accepted part of life that it is hard to imagine things were ever any different. We have got used to clean air in pubs and restaurants, while not smelling like an ashtray on leaving them is no longer a novelty.

There are other, less noticeable, benefits, with the health risks from passive smoking massively reduced. And some people will have quit smoking because of the ban with others not taking up the habit because it has become more marginalised – they will be healthier and wealthier as a result.

In little over a year and a half, society, it seems has changed and for the better. However, there are those who seem intent on ignoring the law.

The Markaz restaurant in Bradford would appear to fall into this category having admitted five breaches of the legislation between June and October of last year, despite having previous convictions for similar offences.

As we have noted before, shisha lounges such as this were probably not the target of the legislation when it was first considered. But if exceptions were allowed it could open the floodgates and we would be quickly back to the bad old days.

So the threat from the Council to consider seeking an injunction preventing the restaurant from trading if it continues in this vein, while tough, is not excessive. For the stakes are too high to allow this situation to persist.

It is to be hoped that such action will not be necessary with the pavilion outside the restaurant providing a workable solution.

For this issue aside, Markaz makes an important contribution to this part of the city and can continue to do so for many years to come.