The Gangster London Walking Tour Through Kray Twins Territory
East London keeps a darker chapter of its history in plain sight, and this gangster London walking tour walks you straight through it. Actor Vas Blackwood, who played Rory Breaker in Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, leads two hours through Bethnal Green and Whitechapel tracing the real Kray twins story. It is history told straight, from the pub where the violence turned fatal to the film locations shot decades later.
About This Tour
Cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
Lock in your spot today, no charge until closer to the date.
2 hours on foot through Bethnal Green and Whitechapel.
Your guide played Rory Breaker in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Walks the real 1960s streets, clubs and pubs tied to Ronnie and Reggie Kray.
Capped numbers keep the storytelling personal rather than shouted through a headset.
Check Live Availability & Prices
See today's prices and open time slots for this gangster London walking tour before you book.
Why Walk London's Underworld with Vas Blackwood
Most walking tours hand you a guide reading from a script. This one hands you Vas Blackwood, the actor who played Rory Breaker in Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and lets him tell London's underworld history with a foot in both worlds: film trivia from the set, and social history from streets he knows well. That combination is what separates a gangster London walking tour from a standard heritage walk.
For two hours you follow Bethnal Green and Whitechapel through the era of Ronnie and Reggie Kray, twin brothers who ran protection rackets and nightclubs while cultivating a public image so polished that celebrities queued to be photographed beside them. The tour does not soften the violence; it names it, dates it, and shows you exactly where it happened.
If this is your one detour into a different side of the city, pair it with our full two-day plan for the city so the rest of your trip stays on schedule.
What You'll See
The route stays on foot through the East End's older grain, past buildings that have barely changed their footprint since the 1960s even where the businesses inside have moved on.
- The Blind Beggar pub on Whitechapel Road, where the Krays' story turns violent
- The streets and former clubs the Kray firm used as its base of operations
- Vallance Road, close to where Ronnie and Reggie grew up
- Locations used in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, narrated by someone who was on set
- Whitechapel Road's market stalls and shopfronts, much of it unchanged in character
- Backstreet corners where the East End's postwar reputation was built
- Pubs still pulling pints today that the firm once treated as their own
What's Included (and What's Not)
Included:
- ✓ 2 hours with your actor-guide, Vas Blackwood
- ✓ A guided walk through Bethnal Green and Whitechapel
- ✓ Kray twins history alongside Lock, Stock film-location stories
- ✓ A small-group format capped for easy listening
Not included:
- ✗ Food and drinks along the route
- ✗ Transport to or from the meeting point
- ✗ Entry fees or drinks at the Blind Beggar or any pub stop
- ✗ Hotel pickup
How the Two Hours Flow
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18:00
Meet Your Guide
Gather in Bethnal Green as Vas Blackwood sets the scene: who the Krays were, and why this corner of London still trades on their name.
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18:10
Into Kray Territory
The walk moves through the backstreets the twins ran, past former club sites and the corners where their firm did business.
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18:35
The Blind Beggar
You reach the pub where Ronnie Kray shot George Cornell on 9 March 1966, the moment that turned the twins' story fatal.
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18:55
Lock, Stock Locations
Vas points out spots used in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, with stories from actually being on set.
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19:20
Vallance Road
The walk passes close to where Ronnie and Reggie grew up, tying the legend back to an ordinary East End childhood.
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19:45
Last Stop and Stories
A final stretch of Whitechapel Road brings the twins' 1969 conviction and the end of their reign into view.
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20:00
Tour Ends
The group disbands near the Blind Beggar, which still serves, for anyone keen to raise a glass and keep talking.
Know Before You Go
Not suitable for
- Young children, the subject matter includes real violence discussed frankly
- Anyone expecting a lighthearted comedy walk rather than social history
- Travelers who cannot manage roughly two hours of continuous walking on pavement
What to bring
- Comfortable, broken-in walking shoes
- A layer for the evening air, even in summer
- Cash for a pint at the Blind Beggar afterward
- A phone or camera for the film-location stops
Not allowed
- Large luggage or suitcases on the walk
- Recording the guide's stories for commercial use
- Unaccompanied young children
Insider Tips
A few things that make the evening land better:
- Ask Vas directly about the Lock, Stock shoot, the behind-the-scenes stories are the tour's best material
- The Blind Beggar still serves, so plan a stop there after the walk ends
- Wear proper shoes, East End pavements are honest and uneven in places
- Book weekends ahead, the actor-led format keeps groups small and slots fill fast
- Pair the tour with dinner in Brick Lane, a short walk from the finish
Where You're Headed
Who It's For
Great for:
- Fans of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and British gangster films generally
- True-crime and social-history readers who want the streets to go with the story
- Travelers looking for an East End evening off the usual tourist track
Not ideal for
- Families with young children, given the frank discussion of real violence
- Anyone who prefers jump-scare theatrics over narrated, factual history
Gangster London Walking Tour FAQ
Is the gangster London walking tour suitable for children?
It's built for teens and adults. The tour discusses real violence, including the Krays' 1966 shooting at the Blind Beggar, honestly rather than gratuitously, so it isn't the right pick for young children.
Does Vas Blackwood guide every departure?
The tour is built around Vas Blackwood as the featured actor-guide. If you want to confirm who is guiding your specific date, check the operator's listing at booking.
Do we go inside the Blind Beggar pub?
The walk stops outside the Blind Beggar to tell the story of the 1966 shooting. Any food or drink inside is on your own after the tour ends.
How much walking is involved?
About two hours on foot at an easy pace through Bethnal Green and Whitechapel, flat streets throughout.
Is this a scary tour with jump scares?
No. It's storytelling and social history, not staged frights, though the subject matter is genuinely dark in places.
What happens if it rains?
The tour runs rain or shine as a walking route, so bring a layer you don't mind getting damp.
What Travellers Say
Vas made the whole two hours feel like sitting in a pub with someone who actually knew the stories. The Blind Beggar stop gave me chills.
As a Lock, Stock fan this was a dream. Hearing set stories on the actual streets where it was filmed was worth the price alone.
Good walk, small group, guide clearly knew his history. Wished it went a little deeper into the trial and aftermath, but a solid evening.