A furious publican has blasted a group of young thieves who stole hundreds of pounds of outdoor furniture from his micropub in Swanley.

David Miller, 33 and co-owner of The Cotton Mill in Station Road, told News Shopper that he was alerted to the theft on Sunday, April 14, while they were trying to close up the pub for the evening.

"My business partner went outside to take in the chairs and they were just gone.

"We went back inside to check the CCTV and we could see the group of them just up and take them," he said.

News Shopper:

CCTV footages showed a group of hooded youths had taken the chairs from the pub's front garden

Unfortunately, this latest blow to the quirky business comes only a month after looters broke into the pub's stores before making off with £700 worth of beer kegs and a further £300 worth of furniture.

However, Mr Miller claimed that when he contacted the police to report the theft, officers never came to the pub to take statements or review the CCTV footage.

MORE: Couple celebrate 76th wedding anniversary at Chislehurst care home

"I've been in the pub industry a long time, I know what should be done the day after a robbery and they should have checked the CCTV," said Mr Miller.

The Cotton Mill has only been open since June of last year, however the pub has become a community hub for thirsty residents and is even contributing back through its sponsorship of a local rugby club.

Mr Miller with his wife Sasha teamed up with their friends and now business partners, Dan and Theresa Cotton, to revamp an old toilet block which lay derelict before the the crafty couples got their hands on it, leading to two years of laborious but fruitful redevelopment works.

News Shopper:

The Cotton Mill owners Dan and Theresa Cotton with best mates and couple, Dave and Sascha Miller

MORE: Vandals target new disability-friendly swing at Swanley Park

According to Mr Miller, the couples' dedication to the The Cotton Mill and to their local community makes the situation all that more upsetting as both heinous crimes will act as a set-back as they approach the anticipated busy summer season.

"It is very personal," he said.

"You put a lot into the community and then something like this happens.

"It’s left us a little despondent as we've just come out of the quiet winter period.

"We are very much an outdoor pub. When we have the outdoor space open, we have three times the size more space than normally available."

However, an outpouring of support and sympathy which flooded in after Mr Miller posted their story online along with the CCTV footage of Sunday's theft has given the owners a sense of hope for their business and its place in the minds and hearts of Swanley residents.

"The main thing for us was to share it as much and it's since become a big deal online with more than 200 shares, explained Mr Miller.

"So in one way it's also been very heartwarming."

The pub owners intend to gather as much information on what happened on Sunday evening before filing a report with Kent Police.