Thornton's Chocolate Shops Closing

[DianaT1969]

Not surprised.
Sorry for anyone losing their job.
Will anyone on here miss them?

I will. Their special toffee is a sentimental favourite of mine, especially with a toffee hammer.

Apparently you'll still be able to purchase their chocolates via other retailers eg WHSmith etc.

I thought they already had!

Ours closed down ages ago

They sell Thornton’s in the supermarkets, maybe not the full range, but I’m sure they’ll be online. I couldn’t tell you the last time I went into one of their shops.

I still miss strawberry pigs 🐷

You can buy their toffee in most supermarkets, along with fudge and a selection of their horrible chocolates, plus they'll still be trading online.

Sad for the staff, but entirely unsurprising.

They're really going to have to do something about all the empty shops. Many towns and cities are going to be more empty than occupied going forward.

The Debenhams in my city is going to be converted into student flats, I've heard.

My family still asks for Thornton’s for Christmas, and it’s always the stuff you can only buy direct (on top of the toffee). I’d switched to buying in store because my online orders literally always went wrong. I bought online last year though and it was ok except I couldn’t order individual chocolates or some of the bags. I think they must have switched systems, it was nice to receive what I’d actually ordered 😂

My mum loved them and was very sad when the Thorntons coffee shop in our local shopping centre shut down. She adores their toffees and actually I used to like going to their shops and getting a message piped onto a chocolate egg/heart/whatever. It is very sad for all of the people who have lost their jobs.

I'm not at all surprised. They have no reason to keep the shops open when their products are for sale in every supermarket and discount store. They lost their USP years ago when they went mass market and lowered the quality to fit a lower price point.

I totally understand the whole ‘tragic death of the high street’ situation and that it sucks for anyone losing jobs but some stores I just wonder how they’re still going.

Peoples jobs aren’t really an excuse for propping up failing and unpopular businesses. I like Thornton’s and I loved their ice cream in summer but I can’t fathom a business model in which you sell your product for 20% (on average) higher prices in your own store than in nationwide supermarkets!

If and when I fancy Thornton’s I always go to the supermarket because it’s always cheaper! We even have a Thornton’s outlet store near us which is consistently pricier than the supermarkets! It’s bonkers!

I have the same issue with Cadbury shops- always much more expensive than the supermarket offers!

Barbara. Are you in Leeds? I read that about the Leeds Debenhams and was really surprised. Most of Leeds city centre seems to be student accommodation. Surely they can't need more .

Our local one closed at the end of the first lockdown.

I'm not surprised. They always smelt a bit mouldy/damp to me!

When I was growing up they were seen as a special treat. We always bought a selection of the loose chocolates kept behind the glass screens at the counter. I remember them as tasting really fresh. In recent years, whenever I've been given Thorntons, they've just tasted dusty and stale, with indistinct flavours. They lost their USP as something that was a bit special but still affordable.

I haven't been in one for ages, but like pps, I used to visit the shop as a treat when I was a child, followed by a visit to Athena and The Body Shop.

We'd buy the special toffee and when I was really small, we'd buy the nets of chocolate footballs.

As a teen, I'd buy the individual chocolates as a treat and when my children were smaller we'd buy the personalised Easter Eggs.

Unfortunately, it feels stuck in the 1980s, when we have Hotel Chocolat on the High Street now.

I actually thought the stand alone shops went years ago.

@Bimini oh now you’ve gone and made me remember strawberry pigs 🤤

I just saw a photo of their Oxford Street store in an article. It looked cosy, high-end and full of stock. I had forgotten that I bought a heart there around 28 years ago with my boyfriend's name piped on. I also loved their individual champagne chocolates from the display case. It was definitely a good business model back then.

I still miss strawberry pigs 🐷

Whyyyyyyy would you say this? Now you have reminded me and that’s all I will be able to think about this evening! They were heavenly.

They were ruined when the VCs bought the brand and stripped the costs out, and down-specced the chocolate.

RIP Viennese thingy

Mmm Special toffee. My teeth are hurting just thinking about it.

I loved the chocolate fondant mice.

Sorry for those people who will lose their jobs. It seems that niche shops of which this is one are those who seem to be suffering most. Even with the upscaling of events such as birthdays and other celebrations it did not seem to have a future.

They devalued the value of their product by selling it everywhere and especially on the tills at WH Smith with the bloody annoying 'extras' options.

I have fond memories of buying my dad the special toffee every fathers day but the chocolate turned to shit a while ago.

They lost their USP years ago when they went mass market and lowered the quality to fit a lower price point.

Yep. They should/could have been where Hotel Chocolat is now, but they dropped the value of their product until it was almost worthless.

They devalued the value of their product by selling it everywhere and especially on the tills at WH Smith with the bloody annoying 'extras' options.

Yep. When I was little, Thorntons was a special treat. I remember going on weekends with my dad and he'd buy me a hot chocolate and one of their "tempting toffee tartlets" that they sold in the cafes.

I used to get their eggs at Easter and the ice-cream in summer too.