Record number of restaurants to open in London this month: Brexit worries, terrorist attacks and an economic slowdown have failed to halt London’s indomitable restaurant scene, with a record 44 new businesses set to launch in September alone. The figure compares with 23 openings in September last year, making it one of the busiest starts to the “opening” season on record. The overall tally for the autumn is on course to smash last year’s total of 100, with 62 already announced little more than a week into September. Catherine Hanly, editor of the Hot Dinners gastronomic website, which compiled the figures, said she was surprised by the remarkable vigour of the capital’s culinary scene after a quiet summer overshadowed by sombre headlines. Regarding the type of businesses opening, she told the Evening Standard: “If you compare it with last year it’s a much more interesting list. There are far more smaller, independent places. We’ve also seen a growth in neighbourhood restaurants outside the centre because rents in places such as Mayfair are incredibly expensive.”

Hop Stuff Brewery to open second Taproom bar: Hop Stuff Brewery is to open a second Taproom bar. Opening in Deptford, south east London, in late 2017, the site will be located in the recently reimagined Market Yard SE8. Opened in 2016, Market Yard is a hub for independent shops, restaurants and businesses in the heart of the district. Joining the ranks of artisan coffee houses, creative design studios and flavours from around the globe, The Taproom SE8 will serve Hop Stuff’s signature beers from the iconic arches in the heart of Deptford. Building on the popularity of the brewery’s flagship bar, The Taproom SE18, the opening of The Taproom SE8 marks the second step in a five-stage bar expansion for Hop Stuff. Following a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2016, the south east London brewery is set to take on an additional three sites as well as opening a new brewhouse in 2017. James Yeomans, founder of Hop Stuff Brewery, said: “We’re thrilled to announce our second Taproom in Deptford! We receive a lot of support but understand that Woolwich is out of the way for some people – so we’re stoked to be opening another Hop Stuff Brewery Taproom further afield. Like our site in SE18, we want to capture the vibe from the best on-site brewery tap rooms offering the full Hop Stuff range, a slew of local craft on guest taps, sourdough pizza using local ingredients, and a buzzing space where anyone feels at home. We reckon Hop Stuff will fit right in with the other Market Yard units and we’re really excited about the up and coming vibrancy Deptford offers. Needless to say, we’re most excited about sharing more of our beloved beer with the locals in SE8.”

Yates’s sees beer sales rise 22% on opening Premier League weekend: Stonegate Pub Company has said beer sales at its Yates’s venues rose 22% on the opening weekend of the Premier League this year compared with last season. Fans watching the games at Yates’s also consumed 8% more burgers in comparison with last season’s opening weekend. Celebrating British fans’ love of football, burgers and beer, Yates’s is adding a number of burgers to its new menu that will launch later this month, including the NY Deli Burger and the Mighty Meatzza Burger. Yates’s marketing manager Alex Botting said: “After a drought of football over the summer, we’re really pleased to have the excitement of football back in Yates’s pubs. We’ve introduced a number of new burgers to our menu and think they’ll be the perfect accompaniment for fans of the beautiful game to enjoy while cheering their team on.” Stonegate Pub Company operates more than 690 pubs split into two divisions – Branded (Slug and Lettuce, Yates’s, Walkabout, Common Room and Venues) and Traditional (Proper Pubs, Town Pub & Kitchen, and Classic Inns).

Starbucks to celebrate ethical credentials: Starbucks is to celebrate its position of serving 99% ethically sourced coffee by writing “99” on cups in stores across Europe tomorrow (9 September). Stores in the UK, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, Cyprus, Portugal, as well as South Africa, will take part in the event. Starbucks’ Cafe Practices programme was developed more than 15 years ago with Conservation International. It forms a set of growing and buying guidelines that help farmers who supply Starbucks to produce coffee in a “sustainable and fair way”. The company said the programme had already had an impact on more than one million farmers and workers across four continents. Kelly Goodejohn, Starbucks director for ethical sourcing, said: “Starbucks has invested more than $100m in supporting coffee communities and our comprehensive sourcing strategy means we can improve the resilience of our supply chain and ensure the long-term supply of high-quality coffees, as well as building stronger, enduring farming communities for generations to come. It’s fantastic to celebrate our verified 99% ethically sourced coffee with customers around the world but it’s the last 1% that means so much since we have the opportunity to scale our sustainable coffee model to coffee farming communities in new regions as we strive to reach our 100% goal.”

Crosstown Doughnuts returns to Piccadilly for fifth London site: Crosstown Doughnuts, founded by Adam Wills and Peter Gordon, has opened its fifth London site, this time in Piccadilly. The third opening this year, the company’s latest site features the brand’s glazed sourdough doughnuts, including three new flavours, alongside cold brew coffee. The new doughnuts are yuzu and matcha, strawberry and elderflower, and boysenberry and apple, which will be available on rotation on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Hot Dinners reports. Crosstown Doughnuts was founded in Piccadilly in 2015 and has since opened sites in Camden, Shoreditch, Soho and Victoria, as well as operating at markets around the capital.