These maps illustrate the changes that occurred in British cinema provision during the third quarter of the 20th century. They also put the information about Brighton and Hove into a wider context.
        In Coronation year, 1953, the county of Sussex had 78 cinemas in 33 towns and villages: 18 towns had a single cinema, 15 had more than one—including Brighton way out in the lead with 14, all single-screen sites. By British Film Year, 1984, when cinema admissions reached their all-time low, there were 16 cinemas in 11 towns, and only the three largest coastal towns had more than one. However, because of conversions, there were still 30 screens.
        Large swathes of the county's population of 1.31m were no longer within easy reach of a cinema. Only two-thirds of the Sussex population lived in towns, of which there were officially a total of 23, only one of which had never had a cinema. In 1953 only the most remote unpopulated parts were more than 10 miles from a cinema; by 1984 whole towns were in that position.