THE lease for new restaurant has been finally granted after the settling of a family row.

On Thursday night Blackburn with Darwen Council authorised the letting of the now closed Blakey’s Bar in King George’s Hall to South Asian eaterie eastZeast .

It follows the resolution of a dispute over branding rights between the four cousins who founded the high-profile chain in Manchester in 2005 which delayed final agreement of the deal.

Two days of talks with eastZeast Blackburn Ltd’s directors were held after Kabir Rayman, director of eastZeast Group (UK) Ltd, asked the council to delay signing the lease with Ashfaq Hussain, director of eastZeast Blackburn.

The item approved by the executive board comfirmed all the legal details were now in order.

It said Mr Hussain had agreed ‘to deposit a six-month rent bond to provide the council with financial comfort’.

Blakey’s, which seats 200, closed on March 21 with staff taking voluntary redundancy or being redeployed by the authority.

Council finance boss Andy Kay said: “Everything is now in order. The new eastZeast restaurant will add vibrancy to town centre eating.”

Mr Rayman’s company has restaurants in Manchester, Bury and Preston while Mr Hussain runs a high-profile outlet under the brand name in Liverpool.