More than sixty homes in Cambridgeshire still hold a black and white TV license, new figures have revealed.
A survey revealed that over 7,000 black and white TV licenses are still in force across the UK; however that number is rapidly declining.
In 2017 the same survey was conducted and it showed that 69 homes in Cambridgeshire still used the vintage TV-watching method.
The stats show that despite an increase in the use of smart televisions, as well as tablets and smart-phones to access TV content, a surprising number of Cambridgeshire households are spurning 21st Century technology in favour of nostalgic monochrome TV sets.
Sixty three households in Cambridgeshire are still watching television via black and white TV sets, rather than enjoying modern classics like The Bodyguard, McMafia and Killing Eve, in full colour.
Despite an increase in the use of smart televisions, as well as tablets and smart-phones to access TV content, a surprising number of Cambridgeshire households are spurning 21st Century technology in favour of nostalgic monochrome TV sets.
According to this year’s figures, London leads the way with 1768 black and white licences, followed by West Midlands with 431 monochrome licences and Greater Manchester with 390 monochrome licences.
The highest concentration of Cambridgeshire’s black and white TV Licences are in Cambridge itself, with 22 such licences in force. Elsewhere in the county, Peterborough has the highest number with 19 households with monochrome TV sets.
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.
Mark Binnersley, spokesperson for TV Licensing, said: “Over half of the UK’s TVs now connect to the internet, so it’s 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.”
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