A surprising number of people in Sussex are still watching black and white televisions

The figures come from TV Licensing.

See also: Magistrates Court resultsDespite an increase in the use of smart televisions, as well as tablets and smart-phones to access TV content, a surprising number of UK households are spurning 21st Century technology in favour of nostalgic monochrome TV sets.

According to the figures, London leads the way with 1,768 black and white licences, followed by West Midlands with 431 monochrome licences and Greater Manchester with 390 monochrome licences.

Across the South East, Essex held the highest number of black and white licences still in operation (140). Kent held the second highest amount with 133, with Sussex being third (107) and Bedfordshire was the fourth highest with a total of 84 black and white licences.

The number of black and white licences issued each year has, however, steadily been declining. In 2000 there were 212,000 black and white TV Licences in force, but by 2003 that number had shrunk to 93,000. By 2015, the number had dipped below 10,000.

Cody Want, spokesperson for TV Licensing London and South East, said: “Over half of the UK’s TVs now connect to the internet1, so it’s pretty interesting that more than 7,000 households still choose to watch their favourite shows on a black and white telly.”

“Whether you watch EastEnders, Strictly or Question Time in black and white on a 50-year-old TV set or in colour on a tablet, you need to be covered by a TV Licence to watch or record programmes as they are broadcast. You also need to be covered by a TV Licence to download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer, on any device.”

Jeffrey Borinsky, a London-based television and radio technology historian, added: “There are hundreds of collectors like myself who have many black and white TVs. Who wants all this new-fangled 4K Ultra HD, satellite dishes or a screen that’s bigger than your room when you can have glorious black and white TV.

“Thirty years ago you could still buy black and white TVs, mainly small portables, for as little as £50 and it’s interesting to know that some of people still have them”.

A licence is needed to watch or record live TV, on any device including a laptop, tablet or mobile phone. You need to be covered by a TV Licence to watch or record live TV programmes on any channel or device, and to download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer. Find when one is needed at www.tvlicensing.co.uk/info.