Over the past week, the London pub The Black Dog has experienced a surreal and dream-like experience.
Following the release of Taylor Swift’s highly successful new album, The Tortured Poets Department, on April 19th, which included a bonus track called “The Black Dog,” the local pub experienced a significant transformation.
Marketing Manager Amy Cowley expressed to PEOPLE how surreal the response the pub has received has been. She feels fortunate that the pub is already well-established and beloved within the local community. However, she emphasized that the pub’s reputation as a local establishment makes it surprising to receive attention from around the world.
Fans of Taylor Swift have been visiting a bar in south London that was mentioned by the singer at the age of 34, coming from various places around the globe.
Cowley mentioned to PEOPLE that they have received interest from a variety of places, including the United States, Spain, Germany, and Australia. The reach of interest has been extensive.
“Since the album was released, we have been reaching maximum capacity every day and have had to turn people away. This demonstrates the high level of interest we are experiencing,” she explains. “However, what has been especially wonderful is the support from fans. They have been willing to share tables with strangers in order to accommodate more people, which is truly impressive.”
Image licensing company Alamy
The song “The Black Dog” by the famous singer depicts a scene where she observes a person entering a bar, seemingly going against her expectations or feelings.
In the first verse, she mentions how she used to be the person you confided in and forgot to turn off your location. She describes watching you walk into a bar named The Black Dog and feeling a sharp pain in her heart.
Swift emphasizes that the individual failed to deactivate their phone’s location tracking. She also expresses confusion over how the person could not miss her when listening to a specific song at The Black Dog.
The Starting Line is brought up a few times on TTPD, possibly in connection to the band frequently covered by The 1975, where the lead singer is Swift’s former partner Matty Healy. In “The Black Dog,” Swift describes a character meeting a girl at a bar, but she is too young to recognize the pop-punk band from the early 2000s or their music.
The image is credited to Jeffrey Greenberg from Education Images, which is part of Universal Images Group, and was obtained via Getty Images.
Regarding whether Healy, who is 35 years old, has ever been to the pub, Cowley playfully suggests that they cannot disclose that information.
This also applies to Joe Alwyn, who is the ex-boyfriend of Taylor Swift and they were together for six years.
“We’ve had some individuals come inside. It’s uncertain who exactly she is singing about,” she adds. “We have been diligently reviewing security footage, but we can’t provide any confirmation. I believe that’s part of what makes Taylor appealing- she keeps her fans guessing, so we’ll play along with that.”
The pub has capitalized on its recent popularity due to the singer, by introducing burgers and drinks inspired by Swift’s music at the establishment.
“Our Swift Half is made with our own Black Dog lager, and we also offer the Swift Burger which is a traditional burger served with our unique house sauce, fries, and chili sauce. These menu items have been quite popular,” Cowley explains.
Photographs of celebrities taken by Jeff Kravitz, Karwai Tang, and Dave Benett have been captured on different occasions.
The pub displays lyrics from the track on chalkboards outside, and inside you can hear songs from TTPD playing while the walls are decorated with “fun Taylor posters.”
Cowley shared that there has been a high demand for merchandise from fans. They are currently designing T-shirts and fans are already purchasing their pint glasses. The mailing list for merchandise has already reached thousands of people, indicating that they expect items to sell out quickly once they are available.
Cowley mentioned that a member of the pub’s staff informed them about the song, but initially, none of them took it seriously.
One of Cowley’s teammates sent a message to the entire team saying they believed they were mentioned on Taylor Swift’s new album and that it would be a big deal. Despite not taking it seriously at first, the teammate was confident because they were a fan of Taylor Swift. Looking back, Cowley admits they should have listened to them right away.
Stay informed and never miss out on a story by subscribing to PEOPLE’s daily newsletter for free. Get updates on everything from celebrity news to captivating human interest stories.
“Everyone, both fans and non-fans, are enjoying it because it’s lighthearted and exciting to have so much attention. The whole team has been working hard together to handle the busy period, and they’ve all been rewarded with a bonus for their exceptional performance.”
She mentions that the team will be more ready for the increased number of visitors expected during Swift’s Eras Tour in London starting on June 21 for three nights.
“We are currently in the process of planning for that upcoming event, and we are expecting a high number of people to attend. We also want to organize something exciting and enjoyable for everyone, so stay tuned for more details,” Cowley explains.
“We would love for you to join us for a drink when Taylor Swift comes for her tour in the summer. It would be a great pleasure to have her visit us.”
