Taylor Swift’s ex Joe Alwyn denies ever visiting the London pub namechecked by the singer in her latest album
Joe Alwyn and The Black Dog. Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images, Ayomikun Adekaiyero/Business Insider
Joe Alwyn has set the record straight about his association with The Black Dog pub in London.
The actor, who dated Taylor Swift for six years, said he has never visited the pub.
Many fans believed that the song was about the London-raised actor.
Taylor Swift’s ex, Joe Alwyn, has denied ever visiting “The Black Dog” pub in London.
In a new interview with The Sunday Times, the London-raised actor, 33, who dated Taylor Swift for six years before their split in April 2023, claimed that he had never been to Vauxhall, where the pub is located.
“I’ve never been to Vauxhall,” he said, while “smiling a smile that hints that there is more to say,” the report said.
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Swift had namechecked the pub on a bonus track of her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” and many speculated that it had something to do with Alwyn.
The pub’s social media manager, Lily Bottomley, also hinted that Alwyn was a regular at the venue in an interview with Sky News in April.
“I don’t want to give too much away, but we have a certain blonde regular customer who frequents,” Bottomley said.
Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn. Christopher Polk/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
Bottomley also told the BBC that Swift had once visited the pub.
Business Insider visited The Black Dog following the album’s release to get a look at the many Swifties flocking to the pub.
As BI reported, the owners have capitalized off their new patrons with Swift-themed menu items, including a “Swiftburger” and “Taylor’s version” cocktails. Since then, they have also released a line of merchandise.
The interior of The Black Dog Pub in Vauxhall, London. Jeffrey Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Others believe the song refers to The 1975 singer Matty Healy, with whom Swift reportedly had a brief relationship.
The owners of another pub, The Black Dog, in Cork, Ireland, added a sign reading “Team Matty” to the building after it was rumored that Swift was referring to that pub in her song.
The break-up ballad sees Swift — who is now in a relationship with Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs — sing about seeing her former partner out on the town via a location-sharing app.
“I am someone who until recent events you shared your secrets with / And your location, you forgot to turn it off,” the song begins.
“And so I watch as you walk / Into some bar called The Black Dog / And pierce new holes in my heart / You forgot to turn it off / And it hits me,” Swift sings.
