Taylor Swift’s namecheck forces London pub forced to hire more security

Swifites asked the pub to check CCTV for sigthings of the singer

Fans of Taylor Swift take images next to lyrics from the song The Black Dog by Taylor Swift, written outside The Black Dog pub, believed by its owners to have been referenced in the track, (REUTERS)

Taylor Swift fans are flocking to The Black Dog, a pub in southwest London, after it was name-checked on the singer’s new album “The Tortured Poets Department”.

The pub in Vauxhall has had to call in extra staff and security to cope with demand, and has now capitalised on its new-found fame with a “Swift” burger and “(Taylor’s Version)” cocktails.

Lily Bottomley, the pub’s events and social media manager, said the buzz started online last week before the double album was released on Friday, with “The Black Dog” confirmed as the 17th track.

Fans have already rushed to the pub with some buying pint glasses as souvenirs.

It has had to increase its security and expects more fans to visit during June and August when Swift will perform at Wembley Stadium on her Eras Tour.

A view of a 'Swift burger' at The Black Dog pub (REUTERS)

Bottomley could not be absolutely certain her Black Dog was the same one mentioned, but she said there had previously been a “certain blonde regular” at the pub.

Swift describes her 11th studio album on Instagram as: “An anthology of new works that reflect events, opinions and sentiments from a fleeting and fatalistic moment in time”.

Fans largely believe it is about her former British boyfriend Joe Alwyn. Swift has referenced other London locations in her songs that sparked interest in where the couple had spent time in the British capital.

They split in April 2023 after six years of dating.

“We’re a very cosy small neighbourhood pub, so something like this happening is a dream,” Bottomley said. “We’re just so thankful to the fans because they’ve just been amazing.”

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.”

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.

Taylor Swift references London pub The Black Dog on her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department (Doug Peters/PA) (PA Archive)

“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.”

Katie, a web developer and “Swifty” visiting from Northern Ireland for her birthday, said she liked going to places mentioned in songs.

“I was in New York last year, and I also did a little Taylor Swift walking tour by myself of the places that she’s mentioned there.”

Emilia, a masters student from Vienna, said she could picture Swift going to the pub. “I appreciate her because she’s lyrically a genius,” she said.

Spotify said on Friday that “Poets” broke the record for the platform’s most-streamed album in a single day this year, achieving the feat in less than 12 hours.