Doncaster branches of Thorntons to close as chocolate shop shuts all stores permanently

Historic South Yorkshire-born chocolate shop chain Thorntons is to permanently close all its branches due to Covid.
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The firm – which was founded in Sheffield more than 110 years ago – has two outlets in Doncaster – at the Frenchgate Centre and Lakeside Village.

More than 600 workers are at risk of redundancy after the chain announced it was closing all shops due to the ‘ongoing impact of Covid-19.’

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Bosses said they had taken the ‘difficult decision’ to go into full consultation to start the permanent closure of its 61 shops.

Thorntons is to close all its branches.Thorntons is to close all its branches.
Thorntons is to close all its branches.

The firm blamed the ‘changing dynamics’ of the high street, a rise in online sales and the ‘numerous lockdown restrictions’ over the last year - especially during key trading periods at Easter and Christmas.

In a statement it said: ‘Like many companies, we have been operating for a long time in a tough and challenging retail environment.

‘We have been committed to transforming and growing a successful Thorntons retail estate; this has included significant investments to open new format stores and cafes and ensuring we had stores in the right locations…

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‘Despite our best efforts we have taken the difficult decision to go into full consultation to start the permanent closure of our retail store estate. We understand that this will be an uncertain and concerning time for our colleagues and we will actively support them during this period’.

The firm did not mention anything regarding the future of a manufacturing plant in Alfreton, which employs hundreds of people.