More gloom on Shropshire's high streets

THE BRITISH high street was plunged into new misery today after chocolate giant Thorntons announced plans to close 120 shops and rumours emerged that budget store TJ Hughes faces administration.

Floor coverings specialist Carpetright has also warned it will close more stores after reporting a 70 per cent slide in profits.

And high street bank HSBC is to close its branch in Ellesmere on September 23 after bosses said it was one of the most under-used branches in the country.

The two members of staff who man the branch will transfer to other local branches while customers will still have banking facilities and access to a number of ATMs in the town.

Liverpool-based TJ Hughes, which runs 57 stores including one in Shrewsbury's Pride Hill Shopping Centre, gave official notice that it intends to appoint an administrator over the next 10 days, according to reports.

If it fails to pull through, the group will join furniture chain Habitat and fashion retailer Jane Norman in going into administration in the last week.

TJ Hughes was bought out by its management team in March following reports that it had been hit by the withdrawal of credit insurance for its suppliers following a difficult period of trading.

Meanwhile Thorntons said it will exit at least 120 of the 350-plus outlets it runs across the country over the next three years as their leases expire, while it will consider the future of an additional 60 shops.

It has a number of stores in Shropshire, including in Telford Town Centre, Pride Hill in Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth's High Street, King Street in Ludlow, and High Street in Whitchurch, as well as in Darkgate Street in Aberystwyth.

Carpetright, which has stores in Telford and Shrewsbury, finished the year with 559 stores in the UK and Ireland, after closing 27, and said that, with leases on 94 stores due to expire in the next five years, it expected to further reduce the size of its estate.

By Business Editor Thom Kennedy