Frank Sinatra charmed the ladies with his blue eyes - and a packet of Lucky Strikes.

Nat King Cole smoked his way through three packets of menthols a day and Louis Armstrong was partial to a drag.

The wisps and curls of lit tobacco were as much a part of jazz club culture as the blues notes and swing beats themselves.

It's an era that will be stubbed out for good on July 1 when smoking in public places - including bars, pubs and clubs - becomes illegal.

Legendary Kroon Kat Club, a monthly retro night at Komedia in Brighton, will no longer be able to employ its cigarette girls.

Heidi Heelz and bunny girl Miss Fountain have prowled the lounge in fishnets, top hat and tails, dispensing sass and cigars for the last four years. The next thing they'll draw will be the dole.

Gordon Winter, co-promoter of the club, said: "The cigarette girls are a very important part of our set-up but they won't be allowed to do it any more.

"They're upset but we are trying to find them another job within the club.

"At the moment, though, I haven't got any ideas and they face losing their livelihoods."

Cigarette girls were employed in suave jazz venues, dispensing cigarettes and cigars to the good-timers, impresarios and crooners.

Carrying a tray around their neck stocked with a selection of smokes, they would parade in heels around the floor and ooze sex appeal.

Mr Winter said: "Smoking is a big part of it - the traditional smokey nightclubs where a leggy girl serves you cigarettes and everyone sits there puffing away.

"The cigarette girls were more popular in the Forties and Fifties at nightclubs in the jazz era.

"Our musicians all smoke and they're disappointed part of the atmosphere will be lost and they won't be able to carry on the traditional jazz vibe.

"The world has changed now and health consciousness has taken over from retro-cool.

"Smoking used to be a cool thing and people weren't aware of the heath risks associated with it.

"Now that there's a smoking ban, we will lose out on the whole retro-chic.

"There was an ambience about smokey jazz clubs and several of the iconic record albums show pictures of cigarette smoke.

"But it is inevitable that we have to move on.

"The last time smoking was really popular, people were facing the Second World War and there was a more obvious threat.

"There wasn't the awareness we have now and people were actually told smoking was good for them.

"The Kroon Kat Club is a 2007 version of the Forties, celebrating that culture but now everything is filtered through a modern consciousness."

People will be able to puff on their Havana cigars at the club for the last time on June 16.

The jazz cabaret includes performances from Laura Vine, Sara Oschlag, Seth Morgan and Marilyn Slightly, backed up by sing band the Hepkat Huzzahs.

There will be dance from Brighton Jive, magic from Ryan Parker and James Grillo is DJ.