Karen Kilgariff

It was basically, at that age, the onset of paranoid schizophrenia.

It was basically, at that age, the onset of paranoid schizophrenia.

He will later remember it by saying, quote, Wow. Yeah. Scary. Which also must be hard if you are starting to be a bit of a criminal or thinking of it. Right.

He will later remember it by saying, quote, Wow. Yeah. Scary. Which also must be hard if you are starting to be a bit of a criminal or thinking of it. Right.

Yeah. And it's going to kind of escalate things where it's. Yeah. So that's the kind of context playing out in the background. As the twins head back to Bethnal Green and soon pursue some legitimate business, there's an East End billiard hall called the Regal, and it's just kind of past its prime.

Yeah. And it's going to kind of escalate things where it's. Yeah. So that's the kind of context playing out in the background. As the twins head back to Bethnal Green and soon pursue some legitimate business, there's an East End billiard hall called the Regal, and it's just kind of past its prime.

The paint is chipping, the interiors are dingy, and it basically has a seedy enough reputation that, like insurers, won't insure it. But the Krays see it as a perfect investment. So they stop by one day and then the next. And then suddenly there's a strange uptick in violent activity at the Regal. Unruly guests start infiltrating the place.

The paint is chipping, the interiors are dingy, and it basically has a seedy enough reputation that, like insurers, won't insure it. But the Krays see it as a perfect investment. So they stop by one day and then the next. And then suddenly there's a strange uptick in violent activity at the Regal. Unruly guests start infiltrating the place.

They destroy the furniture, smash glasses, threaten to burn the building to the ground. And although the Krays deny having anything to do with this sudden influx of bad business at the Regal... It all suspiciously works in their favor. They offer the billiard hall's beleaguered owner five pounds a week to take over the business, which would be around... Five pounds in 1940.

They destroy the furniture, smash glasses, threaten to burn the building to the ground. And although the Krays deny having anything to do with this sudden influx of bad business at the Regal... It all suspiciously works in their favor. They offer the billiard hall's beleaguered owner five pounds a week to take over the business, which would be around... Five pounds in 1940.

Now it's 50... Nothing fucking matters.

Now it's 50... Nothing fucking matters.

Because you also made the switch from dollars to pounds. So great job. That's why. Thank you. That's why it was so hard. According to writer John Pearson, quote, the day their offer was accepted, the violence stopped as mysteriously as it had started. Can you imagine that? Yeah. So the Krays give the Regal a long overdue makeover. They repaint and redecorate it.

Because you also made the switch from dollars to pounds. So great job. That's why. Thank you. That's why it was so hard. According to writer John Pearson, quote, the day their offer was accepted, the violence stopped as mysteriously as it had started. Can you imagine that? Yeah. So the Krays give the Regal a long overdue makeover. They repaint and redecorate it.

And soon it starts drawing a new crowd of patrons for the first time in years. Unfortunately, though, this includes members of a local gang who waltz into the Regal and demand money from the Krays in exchange for protection.

And soon it starts drawing a new crowd of patrons for the first time in years. Unfortunately, though, this includes members of a local gang who waltz into the Regal and demand money from the Krays in exchange for protection.

Not to these boys. But they weren't known. So it was kind of like, oh, you think you're going to have a billiard tall? Okay. This is called a protection racket, and in Reggie's own words, this is how protection rackets work.

Not to these boys. But they weren't known. So it was kind of like, oh, you think you're going to have a billiard tall? Okay. This is called a protection racket, and in Reggie's own words, this is how protection rackets work.

And he would know. A gang would offer to protect clubs, pubs, shops, and the like from other gangs in return for a fee. Which is, when I was reading this part, I was just like, oh, this is... The mob. And Peaky Blinders later days. It's just like all the same thing over and over. Peaky Blinders later days. Yeah. Oh, classic.

And he would know. A gang would offer to protect clubs, pubs, shops, and the like from other gangs in return for a fee. Which is, when I was reading this part, I was just like, oh, this is... The mob. And Peaky Blinders later days. It's just like all the same thing over and over. Peaky Blinders later days. Yeah. Oh, classic.