Staff at a London pub mentioned on Taylor Swift’s new album said receiving international attention has been a “whirlwind”.
The Black Dog in Vauxhall, London, was name-checked on the US singer’s 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, and fans have already rushed to the pub with some buying pint glasses as souvenirs.
Amy Cowley, 41, from Walthamstow, London, said the pub’s newfound international fame has been “surreal” for staff at the Black Dog.
The marketing consultant for the pub told the PA news agency: “We’ve been really excited about the whole thing. We’ve got people on the team who are definitely Swifties and they alerted us to it before anything.
“To now get that sort of international level of recognition is surreal but it’s lots of fun. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, but we’re enjoying it.”
The tracklist for the record has already offered hints on whether songs refer to her English ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn, but fans have also speculated if the pub mention makes reference to The 1975 frontman Matty Healy with whom she briefly had a relationship.
The team at the Black Dog referenced these rumours after posting a video on TikTok which went viral and earned more than 10,000 views as of Saturday.
In a sped-up video of a staff member rushing to a computer, the video caption reads: “POV you work at The Black Dog (yes the actual pub Taylor name-dropped) and desperately trying to figure out if it was Matty or Joe”.
Ms Cowley weighed in on the rumours, suspecting the new song could be about Healy, but left it to the fans to decipher, saying: “If anybody can crack it it’s (the Swifties), right?”
The team plans to keep fans “in suspense” after Swifties suggested checking the pub’s CCTV footage for any sighting of Swift or her ex-boyfriends Alwyn or Healy.
“Part of the mystery is actually part of the fun,” Ms Cowley said.
“We did a fun little TikTok video looking back at security cameras to see if we can find them because the answer is they absolutely could have been, but we’re just not entirely sure.
“Better to keep the fans in suspense.”
Swifites warned staff at the pub to brace themselves for an influx of customers after the pub was named in Swift’s latest album released on Friday, on the track The Black Dog.
Ms Cowley said the pub has increased its security and expects more fans to visit during June and August when Swift will perform at Wembley Stadium on her Eras Tour.
She explained: “Last night we were turning people away because we were at total mass capacity.
“We’re expecting a lot more. We’re all hands on deck, getting more team members in, getting security at the door to help manage the big crowds.
“She’s got nine nights at Wembley, so when that happens we’re really expecting a influx at that point. We’re definitely preparing for it.”
She added the pub has stocked more pint glasses after fans bought them as souvenirs, but said the Swifties’ support has been positive.
“The atmosphere was just really great. They want to come in, they want to see where the song is based.
“The fans are really supportive. They want to come in and just be a part of it.”
Ms Cowley urged the US singer to visit the pub and stop by for a drink.
She said: “When she’s next here, please stop by, we would love to have a fun thing with her. We appreciate it and we’re totally open to it. Come on in and have a drink with us.”