Taylor Swift‘s new album The Tortured Poet’s Department has sparked a wave of interest in a range of London pubs mentioned in its lyrics.
One of these is The Black Dog, which is both a pub in Vauxhall but also track 17 of the songstress’ 31-song double-album.
Lyrics ‘You forgot to turn it [your location] off / And so I watch as you walk into some bar called The Black Dog,’ have led Swifties to believe that it could be somewhere that the 34-year-old’s former ‘London Boy’ partner of six years, Joe Alwyn, snuck off to.
But despite the surge in popularity, none of the staff at the pub remember the megastar ever visiting.
Staff have resorted to scouring CCTV over the period of Joe and Swift’s relationship to see if they can spot the singer or her ex-boyfriend inside.
The pub is not some high-flyers exclusive venue for celebs like the English actor, rather – like seven other watering holes name-checked on the LP – it is a typical London corner pub with a small beer garden out the back.
Step inside The Black Dog below with a taste of its extensive food menu, wine list and draught beers.
The Black Dog pub in Vauxhall, London, was one of many watering holes name-dropped by Taylor Swift in her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, but staff say they have never seen her
It is a typical London corner pub in a listed building with old-fashioned indoor decor and furniture, as well as a small beer garden out back
![Lyrics in The Black Dog such as 'You forgot to turn it [your location] off / And so I watch as you walk into some bar called The Black Dog' have led fans of the singer to suspect her ex Joe Alwyn snuck off their during their six-year romance](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/22/11/83934575-13335567-image-a-50_1713783482964.jpg)
Lyrics in The Black Dog such as ‘You forgot to turn it [your location] off / And so I watch as you walk into some bar called The Black Dog’ have led fans of the singer to suspect her ex Joe Alwyn snuck off their during their six-year romance
On the site of an old glassworks, The Black Dog has a charming Victorian-style interior featuring wood paneling, green tiles and antique chandeliers.
The listed building sits opposite Vauxhall pleasure gardens and with tables outside and out back it can be an idyllic spot to perch outside with a drink in summer.
Speaking of which, drinks at The Black Dog will set you back at the typically uncomfortable London rate.
A pint of their varying draught beer or cider will set you back between £5.75 (for their own Black Dog Lager) and £7.
Meanwhile, a glass of red comes in from £7.50, with white wines slightly cheaper.
When it comes to food, the pub’s traditional English look is contrasted by a Spanish-inspired menu boasting a range of hot and cold tapas options if you are after small plates.
But they do also offer all the pub classics, on a rotational basis depending on what is in season.
According to the most up-to-date sample menu, punters can sit down for a burger and chips for £15.50, fish and chips for £17.50 or steak and chips for £22.
Sunday roasts are naturally towards the top-end of the price range. Beef rump with all the trimmings will set you back £22 with pork belly and crackling £1 cheaper.
The Black Dog is even available to book out for events such as weddings or other private events. It can even be booked for filming – a potential out, then, for Alwyn if his ex suspects he was sneaking off to London pubs to get away from her.
The Black Dog has a charming Victorian-style interior featuring wood paneling, green tiles and antique chandeliers
Despite its traditional feel, The Black Dog was only established in 2009 – though the ornamental dog design on its wall predates it
The pub has a Spanish-inspired tapas menu as well as all the classic pub grub. Fish and chips would set you back £17.50
With both its food and drink menus, the pub rotate options depending on what is in season. Pictured: The Black Dog cheeseburger, which is £15.50 with chips
A Sunday roast at the pub can come in above £20, while the cheapest pint is £5.75
The pub is not some high-flyers exclusive venue for celebs like English actor, Joe Alwyn, rather it is a classic London corner pub with the usual fare of steep prices
Swift superfans and twins Kylee and Jordan Ludwig visited the pub with their friend Katelyn Anziano, all 20, on the day of the song’s release.
Kylee said: ‘As soon as we heard the lyrics and realised it was a real place, we knew we just had to come here. I mean, we can now say we were in The Black Dog on the day of its release.’
Katelyn added: ‘It’ll become part of Taylor Swift lore. Especially because it’s such a sad, emotional song.’
Jordan was particularly excited to visit The Black Dog and said she had already fallen in love with the new album.
‘I love Taylor’s more depressing songs, and for me Tortured Poets was the perfect mix of the production value of Midnights with the tone of folklore and evermore,’ she said. I love it.’
The trio are all from the United States but have been studying abroad at London’s Arcadia University since January. They describe themselves as mega Swifties – and have all already been to The Eras Tour.
Connor Price, assistant manager at The Black Dog, said the three students were not the only fans who visited the pub that day.
He said: ‘We’ve already had quite a few groups. Some came in and asked for a vodka and Diet Coke, as that’s apparently Taylor’s favourite drink.
‘And last night we had a group in Taylor Swift t-shirts, which was before the whole song was even out.’
Mr Price, 36, said he’s hoping the mention might be good for business. He said: ‘At the moment, it’s all a bit of fun – people have been giving us Google reviews based on the song, which are mostly 5* so that’s good.
‘But we’re thinking we might get some more customers here around the time when Taylor’s tour comes to London, so that would be good.’
Capitalising on the eyeballs, the pub joked on Instagram that they were frantically trawling through their CCTV to see whether it was Alwyn or Matty Healy who had visited them in the past few years.
Taylor Swift fans Jordan Ludwig (right), 20, Kylee Ludwig (left), 20, and Katelyn Anziano (centre), 20, inside the Black Dog on the song’s release day
On the corner of Glasshouse Walk and Vauxhall Walk, The Black Dog sits on land which likely once housed Buckingham’s glassworks
Connor Price (seen), assistant manager at The Black Dog, said: ‘We’ve already had quite a few groups. Some came in and asked for a vodka and Diet Coke, as that’s apparently Taylor’s favourite drink. we’re thinking we might get some more customers here around the time when Taylor’s tour comes to London, so that would be good’
Both were seemingly the subject of a large number of tracks from their former partner’s 11th studio album.
Though the cosy venue has a traditional feel inside, The Black Dog was actually only established in 2009, before which it was called The Lavender.
However, even then, it already had a picture of the black dog which would become the pub’s symbol.
On the corner of Glasshouse Walk and Vauxhall Walk, The Black Dog sits on land which likely once housed Buckingham’s glassworks.
The factory operated from the 1600s to the late 1780s as part of a thriving glass industry in the south of the city.
Even though the bar staff can’t remember seeing the All Too Well singer, the venue is making the most of its time in the spotlight.
The award-winning pub has had to hire extra security staff and buy in more branded glasses to deal with the flurry of new customers making a pilgrimage to the beerhouse according to The Times.
The pub has also added ‘home to tortured poets’ in its Instagram bio and has leaned in to all the attention by making Instagram reels linked to the song and including quotes on signs outside.
The influx of new customers has meant that the bar now regularly reaches capacity and even has to turn customers away as fans continue to line up to make TikToks and get a quick snap in the now famous watering hole.
The pub has been overrun with booking requests for a table during Swift’s Eras tour performances in London and are even considering introducing a bottomless brunch.
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