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Gangster Tour of London’s East End Led by Actor Vas Blackwood
Badge of ExcellenceLondon, England
- 2 hours
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Journey through the sinister world of organized crime with a 2-hour walking tour through London’s East End! Guided by actor Vas Blackwood—hear real histories and fictitious recreations of London’s gangster underworld. Visit filming locations and learn about the notorious Kray Twins, London’s premier mobsters in the mid-20th century, and former bad boy Lenny McLean.
- 2-hour gangster walking tour of London’s East End led by Vas Blackwood
- Hear insider gossip about London’s low-life underworld: real-life criminals and fictional fiends
- Visit sites linked to the infamous Kray twins like Repton Boys’ Club and the Blind Beggar pub
- See the pub used as Samoan Jo’s in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Whitechapel Rd, London E1 1BU, UK
The meeting point is inside the main bar area of the Blind Beggar pub, 337 Whitechapel Rd – 1 min walk from Whitechapel tube station. Vas will be signing images at the ‘Blind Beggar’ from 12:30-1:30pm before the tour departs. (Costs: Pics £20. Wall-mount Pics £40)
Start time
02:00 PM
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Your tour through the London’s gritty criminal underworld begins in Whitechapel, an area brimming with illicit histories from the Jack the Ripper rampage to the dark negotiations of London’s most infamous gangsters. Meet your guide Vas Blackwood there for your 2-hour afternoon walking tour—and bring your questions!
As you head into Whitechapel’s warren of alleys and backroads, hear about the famous Kray twins, brutal mobsters who ruled the East End in the mid-20th century. Before being imprisoned for life, Reggie and Ronnie Kray made their mark in the area, from training to box at Repton Boys’ Club to opening glamorous nightclubs—hotspots for famous performers and members of parliament. Learn about Ronnie’s rise to celebrity after publicly murdering his arch rival at Blind Beggar pub, and about beloved London actress Barbara Windsor, who had a fling with Reggie Kray before marrying his feared associate, Ronnie Knight.
Along the way, indulge in Vas’s colorful storytelling. Learn more about cockney criminals like Brown Bread Fred, a cockney play on words where ‘bread’ translates to ‘dead’ – the unfortunate fate of many that met him – and ‘The Guv’nor,’ Lenny McLean, a former bareknuckle fighter and gangster who left the dark side to perform in the British classic, Eastenders.
Finish with a behind-the-scenes tour of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels film locations. Soak up little-known tales of production as you visit sites like Samoan Jo’s pub and Hatchet Harry’s office, workplace of Harry Lonsdale.
Your fascinating insider tour ends at Columbia Road in Shoreditch.
As you head into Whitechapel’s warren of alleys and backroads, hear about the famous Kray twins, brutal mobsters who ruled the East End in the mid-20th century. Before being imprisoned for life, Reggie and Ronnie Kray made their mark in the area, from training to box at Repton Boys’ Club to opening glamorous nightclubs—hotspots for famous performers and members of parliament. Learn about Ronnie’s rise to celebrity after publicly murdering his arch rival at Blind Beggar pub, and about beloved London actress Barbara Windsor, who had a fling with Reggie Kray before marrying his feared associate, Ronnie Knight.
Along the way, indulge in Vas’s colorful storytelling. Learn more about cockney criminals like Brown Bread Fred, a cockney play on words where ‘bread’ translates to ‘dead’ – the unfortunate fate of many that met him – and ‘The Guv’nor,’ Lenny McLean, a former bareknuckle fighter and gangster who left the dark side to perform in the British classic, Eastenders.
Finish with a behind-the-scenes tour of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels film locations. Soak up little-known tales of production as you visit sites like Samoan Jo’s pub and Hatchet Harry’s office, workplace of Harry Lonsdale.
Your fascinating insider tour ends at Columbia Road in Shoreditch.
East End
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
The Blind Beggar Public House Whitechapel
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
Traveler Photos
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Reviews
5.0
248 reviews
Darren_B, May 2024
What can I say, Vas you are a legend. The tour was fantastic and he was brilliant. It lasted nearly 2 and a half hours and he was excellent and informative throughout. He is so kind and just a fantastic person. Highly recommended tour.
Martin_C, May 2024
Tour was very good and saw lots of places associated to the Krays. Vas was an incredible guide. Very funny and very informative would recommend the tour to anyone
Becky_B, Mar 2024
Vas has a fantastic sense of humour and his knowledge of the tour was outstanding , would highly recommend
Belinda_F, Mar 2024
Fantastic tour . Vas makes it interesting informative and is really funny. Would highly recommend.
Went all round where the Krays lived and grew up. Great tour and lovely to see some of the east end of London . Brilliant!
Laurence_S, Mar 2024
Vaz was superb with his dramatisation of what the Krays were all about. Not all crime and brutality but generous at the same time.
Many Thanks Vaz
From your Charlton friends South of the river.
Ingrid_B, Jan 2024
Excellent and definitely worth booking ! Treat for my husband who had the best time. We would recommend to anybody trying to decide whether to do the tour or not.
Steve_H, Jan 2024
Well presented - Humorous and informative narrative - learned a great deal - value for money - manageable walking for everyone.
Pip_V, Jan 2024
Vas was brilliant. Very knowledgeable and was great seeing different parts of London that had some meaning. You can't be swear shy but that's what goes with the territory so you need to be prepared for that. Very informative tour.
Remi_R, Jan 2024
Vas was brilliant, entertaining, funny and educational.. we learnt a lot and loved every minute. He didn’t rush and had all the time in the world for the group. Definitely would recommend. Thank you Vas
Angelo_S, Dec 2023
Vas had us in stitches. Excellent tour. He knew everything we needed to know and some.
Being a londoner myself and also knowing a little about London in the sixties, Vas had a wealth of information.
...
From $34.47
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Gangster Tour of London’s East End Led by Actor Vas Blackwood
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