Astor Club a remark which led to a gangland war (Cornell himself being shot dead in March 1966 in front of witnesses at the bar of the Blind Beggar pub in Whitechapel) and so, ultimately, to the trials and sentences which destroyed both the Kray and Richardson gangs. Indeed, when the Krays were arrested for the Cornell murder (two years after the fact), they were drinking (at 6 a.m.) at The Lion pub, Bethnal Green, intending to move on later to the Astor. The Astor survived beyond the era of the Krays and Richardsons and continued to attract wealthy customers. An Astor
Ronnie Knight Ronnie Knight Ronald Knight (born 1934) is a British former nightclub owner and a convicted criminal. Born in Hoxton, East London, he was responsible for minor infractions of the law when young, whereas his brothers Johnny and James were involved in more significant crimes. Along with Johnny, Knight was friendly with the Kray brothers, but, he says, was not connected with their illegal activities. He also had another brother, David and a sister, Patsy. Knight was sentenced to 15 months in prison in 1961 for dealing in stolen goods. The two clubs he ran, the Artistes and Repertoire Club (known