Plans for a community garden in Sutton have been put to a halt after two planters were stolen this week.
Sound Lounge, located on Sutton High Street, reported that their planters had been stolen on January 4.
The grassroots entertainment venue, who recently opened its plant-based cafe, had plans in place to grow food for the community.
Co-founders Hannah and Kieran said: "On Monday before the lockdown was announced, we were open and running a take-away only service in line with Tier 4 restrictions.
"We left the building at 6.30 pm and found that our two planters had been taken.
"They were extremely large and heavy so it is impossible that one person alone removed them.
"Potentially someone may have believed that they were available for the taking.
"We were hoping that someone may come forward following a post on social media with a personal plea for their return.
"They were hand-built by our friends, another family-run local business (Standbuilder) with beautiful craftsmanship."
Sound Lounge Sutton have been planning a community garden since they started their crowdfunding campaign to set up their venue in April 2019.
Co-founders Hannah and Kieran added: "It's such an important factor in our being a sustainable and ethical food business.
"The Sound Lounge kitchen will be cooking up a daily menu that is in sync with nature and the seasons to minimise waste and the need for unnecessary carbon emissions from freight.
"We have been planning to grow at least a proportion of the vegetables and the herbs we use and to engage the community in that process.
"Once the gardens are set up, we will be inviting members of the community to join us in the growing process via workshops with children through local primary schools, as well as inviting older residents through Age UK Sutton to get involved too.
"The benefits of working with different people from different age groups and backgrounds, of being part of a community, of working with and in tune with nature, and of learning more about where our food comes from are immeasurable.
"It is good for our mental health and makes us more resilient as individuals as well as a community."
Hannah and Keiran would like to thank everyone who has offered their support to the community garden.
"We have been contacted by so many people offering to help with building new ones and also help with our garden once it gets going.
"We were initially devastated when we saw our planters had been taken, but the response proves that in our beloved borough of Sutton the good significantly outweighs the bad.
"The personal messages, kindness and solidarity show how good we are at coming together and making good of the bad.
"We feel very lucky."
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