Labour deal restaurant gets new owner

The Islington restaurant where Tony Blair and Gordon Brown are said to have made an agreement over the leadership of New Labour changes hands today.

Vicky Leffman, the owner of Granita - a Mediterranean restaurant in Upper Street - is handing over the running of the establishment after 10 years to an unnamed owner.

Mrs Leffman said: "We are handing it over to somebody who will look after it really well. I'm retiring to concentrate on looking after my lovely son, Ben."

The Granita Dinner, also called The Night of the Long Fish Knives, has entered the folklore of New Labour.

Mr Brown, then shadow chancellor, is said to have been persuaded to renounce his leadership bid on the evening of 31 May 1994 over dinner with his erstwhile rival Mr Blair.

The restaurant was also a favourite of the Prime Minister's wife Cherie, even after the walls were painted true blue in 1997. The owner commented: "No politicians have complained."

It is unknown whether the restaurant will undergo any drastic overhauls (such as relaxing the rules against smoking) but it will be keeping the same name.

Mrs Leffman said: "It'll open under the same name but it'll be different food."