ONE of York's best-known chocolate shops could become a specialist whisky retailer.

The Whisky Shop, based in Glasgow, is planning to open a new outlet at what is now the Thorntons shop in Coppergate.

Much hinges on the outcome of a liquor-selling application before York licensing authorities on Thursday.

National chocolate makers Thorntons has decided to close its Coppergate store at the end of the month, after six years.

"We cannot go into details as to why it is closing," said Holly Jones, consumer communications assistant for Thorntons, based at its head office in Somercotes, Derbyshire.

But she added that Thorntons was retaining both its other York outlets - a shop in nearby Parliament Street, and a Thorntons coffee shop in the McArthurGlen Designer outlet centre in Fulford, to which the manager and assistant manager at Coppergate will be transferred.

Ms Jones said: "The remaining two members of staff were, in any case, preparing to pursue a university course."

Thorntons has been in talks with GlenKeir Whiskies, parent company of The Whisky Shop, and has been given permission from Land Securities, landlord of the Coppergate Centre, for a lease transfer.

Most of The Whisky Shop outlets have been in Scotland, but recently the organisation opened its first shop in England at the Metro Centre at Gateshead.

Pete Semple, retail director of The Whisky Shop, said that should they get the licence on Thursday, the Coppergate shop would follow the Metro Centre outlet's example and sell selected whisky ranges from casks into customers' own bottles.

Customers would also be able to choose from up to 500 whisky brands, ranging in price from £1.25 for "the smallest bottle of whisky in the world" to a £20,000 bottle of Macallan 1926.

"After a fit-out we hope to be ready by the end of May or early June, in time for Royal Ascot," he said.

Updated: 10:16 Monday, April 04, 2005