NEW figures released by TV Licensing show that after half a decade of colour transmissions, more than 7,000 black and white TV licences are still in force across the UK, although numbers are steadily declining.

Nine homes in Carlisle and five in Workington 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 nine households are spurning 21st Century technology in favour of nostalgic monochrome TV sets.

According to this year’s 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.

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.

Matthew Thompson, spokesman for TV Licensing, said: “More than 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.”