It's been a little over a week since Taylor Swift's new album dropped, and in that time The Black Dog in London has become a veritable travel destination where you could soon find yourself with more visitors from all over the world than there. Municipal market.
As the name marked on track 17 of Department of Tortured PoetsVauxhall expansion anthology, the Vauxhall pub has been overrun with fans hoping to sit at the same picnic tables as the pop star and an unnamed ex (probably Joe Alwyn, the song says he shared the his location with her and we all know Matty Healy). I wouldn't). And while Lily Bottomley, the pub's social media manager, has only hinted that the establishment 'has a certain blonde regular', this kind of bread has been enough to attract Swifties from all over the world, including the New York couple Robin Reetz and Zach Mills. .
“Not to sound like a crazy Swiftie, but would you go to a bar or restaurant just because it's referenced in a song? The answer is yes,” says Reetz, who is already planning a trip to London. “I want to know everything, and if that means supporting a small business while I’m at it, why not?” Alternatively, should the aforementioned ex-boyfriend be Healy, Mills says he wants to go wherever the 1975 frontman touched down.
Toronto's Lauren Van Klaveren also plans to stop by the pub for Sunday's roast after successfully getting off the waiting list for Swift's upcoming Wembley dates. “I immediately made a reservation,” he says. “I'm really excited to go there because there will probably be other Taylor Swift fans there, and I hope the energy is great.” Judging by the comments flooding The Black Dog's Instagram, Van Klaveren will likely be joined by other vacationing Swifties, and Londoners reluctantly seeing their international locale. (One commenter wrote, “I'm like, girl, don't blow me up! Now everyone's going to come here! This is great for business, but not for me!”)
Soon, you may find more visitors from around the world than at Borough Market.
In accordance with Business Insider, staff have already had to turn away guests due to the large capacity. But Amy Cowley, a representative for the pub, calls the sudden popularity “surreal” in an interview with PA News. “We have people on the team who are definitely Swifties and they let us know before anything. It's been a bit of a whirlwind, but we're enjoying ourselves.” Meanwhile, manager Jonathan Murray thanked his staff in a statement. “This level of care… has come completely out of the blue and the team have been working around the clock to ensure our regulars, new customers and Swifties alike receive the fantastic service that The Black is known for Dog. We couldn't have made it through the last week without you all.”
Ahead of Swift's Wembley stops in June and August, The Black Dog will continue to ride the wave with special offers such as a free 'Swift Pint' or half pint of beer for anyone who can quote a line from song and an impending commodity crash. which will also be available for purchase online, the pub said in an Instagram comment. So keep an eye out for hoodies that might read “The Black Dog (Taylor's Version)” or a pint glass that says, “Some bar called The Black Dog.” Or, book a flight and take one IRL. By then, they might have put in a jukebox that only plays “The Starting Line.”
