AN ELDERLY couple whose 60-year-old business was destroyed in the riots received their compensation today (Wednesday) - almost three years to the day since the 2011 disorder.
Eddie and Teddy Marley, aged 88 and 91, ran Greyhound Motors in London Road for more than six decades until it was set alight on August 8, 2011.
Now, almost three years later, their protracted dispute over compensation has finally come to an end as they were awarded a pay-out from the Mayor's Office for Crime and Policing under the Riot Damages Act.
Second World War veteran Mr Marley, of Wheat Knoll, Kenley, said: "We have really put it aside but there has been a great deal of frustration as you can imagine. It is completely unwarrantable but there has been a lot of negotiations and wrangling over it."
The couple have now retired but Mr Marley expressed his hurt at his insurance company's lack of compassion.
His insurers NIG had asked the couple for original logbooks for each of the motorbikes on the premises when it was destroyed.
He added: "You pay your insurance all your life and then when something like this comes along, all these people you've never heard of come along like loss adjusters and you don't get back what you put in.
"I can't say we have suffered financially but it has been a bit of a burden. The riots motivated us to part company with retail and we had probably been going for too long anyway."
Mr Marley also said he and his wife rarely venture to Croydon anymore be cause "they have no reason to" but said he felt for traders in London Road.
