CHOCOLATE shop chain Thorntons is to shut all its stores, putting 603 jobs at risk.
It comes 12 months after it opened a brand new store in Belfast's Arthur Square with 20 staff. The retailer also ran a store in the Ards Shopping Centre and previously operated in Derry's Foyleside and Craigavon's Rushmere.
Thorntons said it has been hit hard by the pandemic, which has kept many of its stores shut for key periods around Christmas and Easter.
It said it has seen sales surge online and will invest in its grocery supply business as part of the shake-up of its operations.
The company, which was founded in Sheffield in 1911, was bought by Italian food giant Ferrero in 2015 for £112 million.
Adam Goddard, retail director at Thorntons, said: "Changing dynamics of the high street, shifting customer behaviour to online, the ongoing impact of Covid-19 and the numerous lockdown restrictions over the last year - especially during our key trading periods at Easter and Christmas - has meant we have been trading in the most challenging circumstances.
"Unfortunately, like many others, the obstacles we have faced and will continue to face on the high street are too severe and despite our best efforts we have taken the difficult decision to permanently close our retail store estate.
"We will now go into full consultation with our colleagues."
Thorntons has announced plans to close all its 61 stores, putting 603 jobs at risk.
Here is a list of the locations:
Newtownards
Belfast
St Enochs
Dalton Park
Glasgow Silverburn
Gretna Green
Darlington
Gateshead Metro
Newcastle High Friars
Dumfermline
Inverness
Glasgow Buchanon
Stockport
Preston
Leeds White Rose
Keighley
Sheffield Crystal Peaks
Sheffield MH Lower
Doncaster Cafe
Hull
Sheffield Fargate
Sheffield MH Upper
York Cafe
Castleford Cafe
Cheshire Oaks
Liverpool One
Chester Eastgate
Manchester Arndale
Huddersfield
Manchester Trafford
Lincoln High St
Mansfield
Derby
Nottingham Vic
Birmingham High St
Coventry
Loughborough
Walsall
Leicester Highcross
Merryhill
Shrewsbury
Burton
Swindon Gt Western
Bristol Cribbs
Cardiff St Davids
Camberley
Bluewater
Cheltenham
Chelmsford
Uxbridge
Reading
Brighton
Douglas
Braintree
Livingston cafe
Lancaster
High Wycombe
Oldham
Horsham
Banbury
Stirling
