A DISCOUNT store has been forced to apologise to staff who went unpaid because of an administrative error.

The new 99p Store in Pier Avenue, Clacton has attracted thousands of customers every day since it opened in July, in the former Woolworth’s shop.

An error meant managers had to pay some staff with cash from the safe last week when their wages were not paid directly into bank accounts. Two other workers were told they would have to wait a month to be paid.

A spokesman for the shop said the problems had now been resolved.

He said: “We apologise profusely. It’s all down to a one-off administrative error.

“The two staff are in the process now of being paid in full. Their money is waiting for them, along with an apology.

“Some other staff had been paid in cash, but we would stress this was only after tax and national insurance deductions and was a one-off.”

He added: “We are a brand new store and it’s been very much all hands on deck. It’s a great team and there’s been concerted effort to get the store up and running. Our staff have coped admirably.”