The small town of Ipswich went public just last week with the appearance of celebrity Ed Sheeran.
On March 28th, Sheeran promoted his new single, “Old Phone,” by building a pop-up Irish pub to film the music video. Ipswich, Massachusetts, shares the same name as Sheeran’s home hometown in Ireland, making it a symbolic and special place to be. But for many longtime citizens, this was a wild change of scenery.
“It was cool to walk around knowing there was a celebrity there,” said Ipswich Citizen Lindsey Dolaher. “It felt good to be a local since there were thousands of people from other towns coming to our town. It was cool to see the pub and what was inside and see a music video set especially in Ipswich since there’s not much going on during this time of year. It brought a lot of people together in excitement for the celebrity.”
What started as rumors amongst high school students and parents turned into a whirlwind of events. It brought a coastal, tourist-popular town into the public eye, with news stations such as CBS News and the Boston Globe coming to cover it. Students, parents, and citizens from surrounding towns all flocked into downtown Ipswich in the hopes of getting a glimpse of the celebrity.
The talk of this event began when Ed Sheeran announced on, “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” that he would be creating a pub, one operating that locals could eat in as a part of his music video, “Old Phone.”
The construction of the pub happened in just a few days. Sheeran’s team transformed the parking lot next to the Ipswich Town Hall into a full-blown restaurant. When the day came, Sheeran made appearances casually strolling down the streets of downtown Ipswich. While he was visiting the toy store “Henry Bear’s Park,” he ran into Deputy Chief of the Ipswich Fire Department Lee Prentiss.
“I was impressed by how he took the time to meet people and take pictures,” said Prentiss. “He was very genuine, personable, and friendly. Not what I was expecting from a big international star, and you could tell that he was really enjoying himself.”
The day continued on and the “Old Phone Booth” Pub was opened. Those who entered were able to experience the authentic pub vibe with a wood-paneled bar and many booths and photo opportunities. Sheeran performed inside with the Irish band, Beoga, giving customers an unforgettable experience.
“My friends and I were interviewed by two news stations,” said Dolaher, “and it truly was one of my favorite memories in Ipswich.”
Although the trip was short and the pub was only temporary, the impact of the event will be long lasting.
