DEPUTY Prime Minister Nick Clegg had a private chat with the Reeves family during a visit to Croydon last Friday.

The Liberal Democrat leader also took a walk around the boarded up site at Reeves Corner where a fire ripped through the building in the riots last August.

The boards have now been covered with a potted history of the Reeves furniture store.

Mr Clegg said: "It's been extremely uplifting to hear how many people from the local community have been coming back to this store to show their support for Reeves."

Addressing reporters while sitting on a Reeves' cream leather settee, Mr Clegg said the Government has put effort into making sure departments work quicker in ensuring riot-hit business get compensation under the Riot Act.

Referring to those that haven't yet received funding, he added: "If there are individual businesses or individual shops I'm sure if they were to get in touch with Brian [Paddick] or Tom [Brake] or the local council then of course we should all work together to unblock the payments they deserve."