Thorntons Melting Away

[tiggerblue10]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56407155

Another high street retailer closing it stores. Maybe not as important as other types or retailers but sad nonetheless with job losses.

I loved going in there and picking out my little collection of truffles :o(

[Mamyalynne]

Sad to see another familiar nae go from the high street and a blow for the staff too.

[wolf63]

I read that when I was supposed to be working.

They used to be the only source of nice chocolate to buy as a gift or a treat. I like their Truffles but the bags are far too small and cost too much money.

It's a shame that the shops are closing - people will be losing their jobs.

[Hopkirk]

It's not the first time that Thornton's have had a crisis. In 2011 they shut well over a hundred stores, and a few years later the company was sold. There isn't enough trade to support shops like that, where most of their sales are in the lead up to Christmas and Easter.

[lankeela]

Can't stand these posh chocolates. Give me a Cadburys Freddo any day.

[Prudie]

Well it is a shame, never really liked their chocolate but their toffee was delicious. My mother was always being gifted boxes of Thornton's Continental selection which she didn't like at all, nor me, far too rich but it became a family joke.

[burlyshirley]

I shall miss it. I used to get Mum and Dad boxes of their chocs. as gifts from time to time, until one day Mum told me that they didn't like them as they were too rich, so I stopped ! I loved them myself ..

[tiggerblue10]

It was a novelty having a chocolate shop open back in the 80s. Me and my mate were in our late teens and we got excited when it first opened.

[burlyshirley]

Supermarkets sell Thorntons chocs. !

[237SJ]

I think Thorntons were trumped on the High Street by Hotel Chocolat who had the edge on them really.

[Tilly2]

How's Hotel Chocolate doing?

[Tilly2]

237! :-)

[tiggerblue10]

As I said it was a novelty having a chocolate shop other than a sweet shop or Woolies in the area back then.

[TonyV]

Badged as such Shirley, bought some yesterday.

[Hopkirk]

It's like so many recent High Street departures. Covid is just hastening the end of a failing business.

How long has John Lewis got left?

[Buenchico]

I'll be sad to see Thornton's go, simply because I have fond memories of their shops in Sheffield (where the company was founded) from my student days. Back then, before their big expansion into selling nationwide, their stores were mainly based around Yorkshire. Whenever my parents visited Sheffield from Suffolk, shopping in Thornton's was always on their list because they didn't have any comparable stores at home.

Having said all that though, I have to admit that I've only been into a Thornton's shop a few times over the past few years (usually at Liverpool Street station, when I was treating myself to some nice fudge for the train journey home). With many supermarkets now not only selling Thornton's products, but their own-brand Belgian choccies as well, I've rarely felt the need to visit a Thornton's shop.

[burlyshirley]

Our Thorntons had a little coffee shop attached which was nice to go into from time to time. I'm sad they are shutting.

[Hopkirk]

After their previous crisis, they were sold to Ferrero in 2015. They have probably decided there is more profit in selling pretty boxes in supermarkets.

[tiggerblue10]

I went to the coffee shop area a few times too.

[burlyshirley]

Nice wasn't it tiggs ...

[tiggerblue10]

Yep, had lovely hot chocolate :o)