Bitter-sweet career in family chocolate firm

BOARDROOM rows, depression and family conflict dogged the 30-year career of a former Thorntons boss.

The inside story of the luxury chocolate-maker is laid bare in a new book by Peter Thornton, grandson of the founder of the Somercotes company, Joseph William Thornton.

He also takes a swipe at the company today and concludes it has lost a lot of its traditional presentation with too much modern wrapping hiding the product. In the book, Thorntons – My Life in the Family Business, Peter lifts the lid on the circumstances which led to a boardroom coup, resulting in him being ousted as chairman.

It details the rivalry between himself and younger brother John and the blazing rows they had over how the business should be run. The book, which has a foreword written by writer and comedienne Jo Brand, also describes Peter's battle with depression after he left the company.

The warts-and-all book traces his career with the family firm, as well as life before and after Thorntons, which was founded in 1911.

Peter, 76, who now lives in Devon, said: "So much happened. It was a real-life drama. The book itself reads like a novel. It's not just about business – it's a human story. It about people and relationships."

Peter's father, Norman, took over the running of the company in 1921 with younger brother Stanley.

In the book, Peter describes Norman as "an introverted depressive father".

One of the most engaging features of the book is the heated arguments he had with John over his role at the company and the direction the firm was taking. A key section in the book is the moment Peter finds out about John's decision to become both chairman and chief executive and that he would be asked to resign.

One of the most poignant sections details the day Peter cleared his desk and left Thorntons. Looking back, although upsetting at the time, Peter said that today there were no hard feelings and that the book would lay a few unresolved issues to rest.

He said: "With any family business there are conflicts and fallings-out – and with us it was a case of too many of us working in the family business, not sure of what our roles were.

"In the end, the situation became so unbearable. The only way to get out was to become a public company – and that is eventually what happened.

"When I left Thorntons, it hurt so much that for a number of years I did not want to have anything to do with the firm. But as the years passed, the wounds began to heal and I realised that it had been such an experience that I wanted to get it down on paper.

"The reaction I've received from family and the company has been positive. I think the book lays a few things to rest and ultimately comes to the conclusion that nobody was really to blame."

After leaving the company, Peter's battle with depression began. He talks about how it took several years for him to walk into a Thorntons shop because of the bad memories. He writes candidly about the breakdown of his relationships.

Peter also talks about Thorntons today. It is one of Derbyshire's biggest firms, employing 4,000 people at its factory and 379 stores nationwide.

Although he is full of praise and admiration for its continuing success, he still believes its shops should be run differently. He said: "I'm disappointed by the modern-day stores and the way the products are presented.

"This is, of course, my personal view, but I feel a lot of the tradition of Thorntons has been lost. I find the stores have lost their personality.

"The Thorntons product is excellent but because of all the packaging, people cannot see it. I like the tradition of interacting and staff serving the customer, rather than self-service.

"I know the company might not like me saying this, but it was such a large part of my life that it almost still feels like I'm running it. It's hard to let go."

Peter will launch his book at the Sheffield Off the Shelf Festival on Tuesday. Published by Tomahawk Press, the book costs £14.99 and can be ordered at www.tomahawkpress.com.