Up to 150 Sussex jobs are under threat after two major high street names became the latest to hit financial trouble.

Chocolate retailer Thorntons has revealed plans to close up to 180 stores across the country.

The company employs around 70 people at its ten shops in Brighton, Hove, Worthing, Crawley, Chichester, Horsham, Hastings, Eastbourne, Bognor and Haywards Heath.

The news came at the same time as discount department store chain TJ Hughes revealed it is on the brink of going into administration.

The group has a store in Broadway, Crawley, which employs up to 50 people and also one in Eastbourne.

Thorntons bosses refused last night to reveal which, if any, of its Sussex stores are under threat.

A spokesman told The Argus: “Because this is obviously very sensitive we are not providing any detailed information at this stage about the location of potential store closures.”

The closures are set to take place over the next three years following a strategic review by Thorntons of its business.

Targeted stores will shut when their leases expire in a move expected to save the company up to £2 million a year.

Thorntons, which issued a profit warning last month, said the threatened stores are among the 364 it owns directly.

The company also has 227 outlets operated by franchisees.

It hopes that franchisees may step in to take over any shops it decides to close.

Thorntons said it wants to concentrate more on selling its own-brand chocolate through other retailers and to increase its online sales.

The company also wants to make its business less dependent on seasonal events such as Christmas and Easter.

Chief executive Jonathan Hart said: “Thorntons is a strong, trusted and highly valuable brand with excellent potential.

“Our goal is to refocus the business across all channels and deliver industry competitive returns over the next three to five years.”

TJ Hughes yesterday gave official notice that it intends to appoint an administrator in the next ten days.

The group was bought out by its management team in March but has suffered a sharp fall in sales as consumers put off buying bigger household items such as televisions and fridges.

Accountancy firm Ernst and Young is said to be preparing to take control of the company in the next few days.

Mark Froud, of Sussex Enterprise, said: “The announcement by both companies is symptomatic of what are very difficult trading conditions on the high street at the moment.

“Companies are having to discount to retain volume but in doing so they are losing money.

“Both Thorntons and TJ Hughes are good companies and I think we will see them back in the future.”

The news is the latest in a series of blows that have seen a number of household names going into administration.

They include women's fashion chain Jane Norman which has branches in Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings and Crawley.

Habitat's flagship store at Churchill Square, Brighton, is also in administration as is the Homeform Group, owners of Dolphin bathrooms and Moben kitchens.

Mothercare and Comet are also among regional retailers closing stores across the south.