Delve into the murky underworld of gangster London on a Krays tour! The Kray twins were notorious baddies who pretty much ‘ran’ London’s East End in the 1950s and 60s. This fascinating walking tour dares to delve into the dark history of the criminal gangs of London uncovering gruesome stories and tall tales as you go.
So who could possibly host a tour that takes you into the world of the Krays? None other than ‘Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ star Rory Breaker that’s who. If anyone knows this patch it’s this guy. As a gang leader Rory was sold back his own drugs after that heist and heading over the Eddy’s for vengeance Rory got into that infamous shootout with Dog’s lot.
In real life Rory Breaker is Vas Blackwood. An instantly recognisable actor as well as playing gangster Rory he was Lenny Henry’s sidekick Winston (yes him!) and starred in Casualty too. He has curated this captivating excursion on foot into gangster London packed full of riveting facts and fiction. Indeed the lines of entertaining fiction and the very real and often violent of criminals of London are very much blurred as you’ll find out on this walking tour.
Take the Krays. They are almost revered as gangsters. Yet a visit to the Blind Beggar Pub in Whitechapel shows you those twins meant business. This is where rival gang member George Cornell was was gunned down as he sat at the bar drinking a pint. Thankfully it’s all a lot more peaceful today when you pop in on your Krays tour.
Another highlight where fact meets fiction is the Repton Boys Club in Bethnal Green. This is the country’s oldest established boxing club and many a successful boxer has been nurtured here. It’s also where Freddie ‘Brown Bread’ Foreman a henchman of the Krays allegedly shot Ginger Marks. And you’ll instantly recognise the place from that infamous card game in the ‘Lock Stock’ film that took place in the centre of the boxing ring.
The final Krays tour location is the Royal Oak otherwise known as Samoan Jos the South Seas theme pub that featured in Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. This is a pub that has featured in lots of shows and films and although curly kale features on the food menu these days it’s still has the spit and sawdust roots of a proper East End boozer.
