Thorntons has announced that it is to permanently close all of its stores. Over 600 employees in over 60 stores are now at risk of redundancy.   Thorntons, originally founded in Sheffield in 1911,  was bought by Italian food giant Ferrero in 2015 for £112 million.

In a statement, the company say, ’As customers continue to change the way they shop, we must change with them.

We have seen a strong growth in Thorntons.co.uk and this will remain a key focus for us in continuing to provide you with your favourite Thorntons ranges, including our unique personalisation offering.

In addition, we continue to invest in building our brand in grocery channels with our partners in order to meet the demand from you, our loyal customers.’