STAFF at department store Croydon Village Outlet are ready to walk out if they are not paid in time for Christmas, the Advertiser understands.
Workers fear they will not be paid before Christmas, in light of previous issues which saw some staff not paid in full in October.
They have asked if payday can be brought forward from December 26, but worry they won't receive their money before Christmas Day.
However, in an e-mail to the Advertiser on Wednesday evening, store chief executive Marco Cash claimed the staff would be paid ahead of Christmas.
Five separate sources have independently come forward to the Advertiser, complaining about the way the flagship store – which opened at the former Allders site in North End in September – is being run.
A worker, one of a large number of former Allders employees now at the Outlet, described morale among staff as "awful".
The source, who asked not to be named, said various departments were openly talking about taking action if pay is late or incomplete.
"After what has happened in the past a lot of people are worried about not getting paid," she told the Advertiser.
"Some of them have spoken about walking out because they are very angry. There's definitely something planned if salaries are not paid on time."
Payday for staff is the 26th of each month, but as Boxing Day is a bank holiday, they have asked to be paid earlier.
Mr Cash, chief executive of Metro Outlet Croydon, told the Advertiser payday would be brought forward, but another source said this had not been confirmed to the workforce.
A sales assistant, who asked not to be named because he was worried he would not be paid if he spoke out, said he was concerned.
He said staff on all floors of the shop had been speaking about walking out if they are not paid in time.
"Everyone wants their money in time for Christmas," he said.
"It may sound like a joke, but Christmas will be cancelled for a lot of people if it doesn't come through in time."
Threats of a boycott by staff follow a difficult first few months for the business since its September opening.
The store, dubbed the "Harrods of the South" by Mr Cash, closed a few hours after it first opened due to a problem with the tills, and remained closed the following day.
It has struggled to attract customers, who have complained it does not contain the designer brands that were promised.
A number of concessions have also left as the store struggled to establish itself on the high street.
The Advertiser also understands that some staff were then not paid in full at the end of October and did not receive the rest until mid-November.
A number of people have raised concerns about the operation with the Advertiser, including the two current members of staff, a former employee who left because he had not been paid, a concession owner and a source close to the store.
A current employee claimed every scheduled pay packet so far has contained discrepancies.
Describing why he had taken the job in the first place, he added: "We were sold the business very well when we all applied.
"He (Mr Cash) said it was going to be like the Harrods of the South, but in fact it's like a rubbish TK Maxx."
When the Advertiser spoke to Mr Cash on Monday, he denied all the allegations and rejected any suggestion that his business is struggling.
He said: "None of this is true, it's all lies. We are not struggling. That's nonsense.
"We have 30 new concessions joining in the new year."
Responding to a list of allegations e-mailed to him on Tuesday, Mr Cash added: "We are not aware of any plans by said workers refusing to work and this also makes no sense – our normal salary payment day is the 26th, so why would [they] refuse to work on the payment date?
"Contrary to your local gossip we are bringing the staff payment forward from the 26th [to] before Christmas."
'Staff are crying with worry'
ONE concession owner has said he deserted the outlet's food hall because his business often took just £30 a day.
"On a bad day the whole food hall didn't take as much as one small sandwich bar on the high street," said Antonio Zaidi, of Italian delicatessen Amoretti.
"Christmas was coming, Croydon was heaving but the food hall was basically empty.
"On a good day I took around £100 but, when it was quiet, it would be more like £30. I can't survive on that."
Mr Zaidi has heard staff are planning to take action if problems with pay persist.
He added; "Some people have been crying. They are very worried about not being paid."
Last month Marco Cash said he had "booted out" around 12 concessions because they weren't performing.
A number of businesses have left the outlet's food hall, managed by a separate company Greenhill, including Dutch bakers Le Perron.
