The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall meeting Ayan De First and African drummers The Oduduwa 'Talking Drummers' in Croydon, London

The Prince of Wales sipped from a pint of micro-brewed beer as he returned to a community badly hit by the riots which swept London and other British cities.

A smiling Prince raised a glass of 3.8 per cent Cronx Brewery Standard during a visit with the Duchess of Cornwall to Croydon, south London.

The mood was a completely different one from when the royal couple visited last year, as the community was left dazed by widespread lawlessness.

Today Their Royal Highnesses met shopkeepers, residents, faith leaders and mingled with shoppers and stall-holders during a walkabout at the 13th Century Surrey Street market.

There they chatted with passers-by and The Prince took particular interest in stalls selling locally-grown produce, while The Duchess accepted a fiery bottle of chilli sauce from the Mad-Ass Chilli Sauce company.

Earlier the royals were greeted by cheers, claps and the harmonious sounds of a local gospel choir at the Croydon Voluntary Action centre.

After shaking hands with local mayor Eddie Arram and council leader Mike Fisher, The Prince and The Duchess chatted to colourfully dressed participants in this weekend's Festival of Cultures.

Set up by the West Croydon Community Forum to promote the area following the riots, it will include a stage show, carnival, fairground rides and arts and crafts stalls.

The Duchess entered into the spirit by banging an African drum and saying: "It's brilliant." The Prince, meanwhile, chatted to members of the Endurance Steel Orchestra.

The royal couple also met David Knight, a newly appointed business connector from one of The Prince's charities, Business in the Community, who will help small firms and community projects access funding.

Mr Knight will leave his day job as a senior manager with the Lloyds Banking Group for 12 months to take up the new role in the area.

Business connectors were created two years ago when The Prince realised that to develop sustained relationships between firms and communities, one person was needed to make things happen.

Mr Knight said: "I've been in my role for six weeks and their visit will already boost the community and add energy and urgency to what we want to achieve here.

"There is a huge opportunity for business to play a bigger role in the needs of the community.

"Today's visit will help us create vital connections between businesses of all sizes and voluntary groups and build lasting relationships in the community."

Inside, the community centre, Their Royal Highnesses met some of the local people touched first-hand by the destruction that occurred during the riots.

These included 31-year-old mother Charlene Munro whose home was gutted by rioters. She and her three-year-old son Cam-Ron managed to escape, but the effects of that night still linger.

In the days that followed, she met Their Royal Highnesses when they visited Croydon, and today she revealed the struggle she has endured since those days.

Ms Munro, an aspiring model, said: "It has been so hard because I'm a single mum, I'm not getting help from anywhere. I'm not that close with my family so it has been me on my own.

"The little financial help I got was great but it wasn't enough. It has been so hard.

"I'm in temporary accommodation but I've stressed to the council that I do not want to move because it would be too upsetting for Cam-Ron to go through a move again."

The Prince and The Duchess also met retail queen Mary Portas after Croydon's Old Town was successfully selected as a Portas pilot town in an effort to spur regeneration there.

The royal couple then visited Matthews Yard, a cafe and small business and community hub set up by 32-year-old entrepreneur Saif Bonar in April this year.

Local businesses and community projects have adopted the yard as their home, including Croydon Radio, and it aims to offer affordability for small firms starting up.

Mr Bonar said: "This area of Croydon suffered dreadfully during the riots but a visit like this shows how far it has come in a short space of time.

"Local business organisations and the council must work together to keep the momentum going and show the world that this corner of south London is a great place to do business, not to mention live and work."

Among those who showcased their business offerings to The Prince and The Duchess were Mark Russell, 29, and Simon Dale, 30, of The Cronx Brewery.

After inviting The Prince to serve himself up a pint, Mr Russell said: "He was very complimentary about it. He said he couldn't drink too much but he offered us his best wishes and hoped the pint wouldn't go to waste."

Mr Russell said theirs was the first brewery in Croydon for 58 years, producing three standard beers and with aims to expand their offering.

"The feedback has been really good and we are spreading further afield," he said.

Later, The Prince and The Duchess visited Croydon College to mark the opening of University Centre Croydon.

They saw work from different departments, including art and design, hair and beauty and construction.

Fashion and business graduate and mother-of-two Michelle Miah said afterwards that The Duchess had liked the coat she designed and was impressed that she had set up her own business.

After presenting Her Royal Highness with a posy, student Moriah Kanoyangwa said: "Meeting The Duchess was an absolute pleasure. I feel very honoured that she asked me questions about my course and career.

"It is a day I will never forget."

Frances Wadsworth, the college's principal and chief executive, said: "We are enormously grateful to have Their Royal Highnesses come to visit to mark this prestigious event.

"The University Centre Croydon is a tremendous asset to the community, offering affordable, accessible and prestigious degrees, validated by the University of Sussex."