From Oxford Street giants to family-run cafes, the pandemic has cut a swath through the high street. Here are a few of the outlets you loved and are now mourning
I would always visit Thorntons in Birmingham city centre during the summer; it was part of my childhood. My best friend, Jayne, and I used to get ice-cream for the short walk home to Edgbaston – the only time we were silent while we were together. As a child, my favourite flavours were strawberry and toffee fudge, but as an adult, it’s rum and raisin. Jayne still claims Thorntons chocolate is supreme. Sylvia Edwards, director, Birmingham and London
