Von Spreckelsen to step down at Thorntons
The chair of chocolatier Thorntons is set to retire, it was revealed this morning.
John von Spreckelsen said he will leave the Alfreton-based company within the next year.
Thorntons confirmed this morning that a search for his replacement is now underway.
Von Spreckelsen joined Thorntons in June 2006, having previously held the post of chief executive of Budgens and chair of Somerfield.
Earlier this year, Thornton's issued a profit warning followed by the announcement it would close 180 of its high-street stores. The company that it was "confident" that replacing some of the closed stores with franchises was the best strategic option.
In its year-end results which were published earlier this month, Thorntons recorded a 1.7 per cent increase in revenues at its year-end to £218.3m.
