How Hollywood stardust turned Wrexham into a business boom town

There’s only one place to start for a feature about Wrexham – and that’s Wrexham AFC’s historic Racecourse Ground, also known as SToK Cae Ras.

The world's oldest international football stadium still in use has enjoyed a renaissance since Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney famously bought the club in 2021.

Under their ownership, the club has enjoyed three consecutive promotions and gained a global fan base on the back of the Emmy Award-winning Welcome to Wrexham docuseries. Wrexham will start the 2025-26 season in the Championship, one step away from the Premier League.

Winning ways on the pitch have translated into gains off the pitch too. Wrexham AFC is one of the companies in our Growth 500, with revenues increasing by 347.5 per cent over the past three years to £26.7m.

That feel-good factor also extends beyond football, with Wrexham’s tourism and business sectors booming. One obvious beneficiary has been The Turf, which is right next to the Racecourse Ground.

The pub is regularly featured in Welcome to Wrexham and has a mural outside called The Boss, in honour of manager Phil Parkinson.

As I wait in my car on a soggy Tuesday two things happen that illustrate the influence of Reynolds and McElhenney on the club and the city. The first is the sight of a female tourist jumping out of a car and taking a quick selfie, before driving off.

The second is the work taking place inside the stadium, where the old pitch has been removed in readiness for a new stitch pitch. As I peeked through a hole in gate eight, the expanse of sand looked more like Blackpool beach than the location of a football pitch.

That is not the only improvement taking place. Wrexham AFC is planning a 5,500-capacity Kop Stand, which will be visible from the city centre and include a player tunnel.

Reynolds and McElhenney might be A-listers but one of the reasons for their appeal is how approachable they are. Rich Fay, one of the co-hosts of the Wrexham podcast RobRyanRed recently secured an exclusive interview with the celebrity owners.

He says: "It felt like a long shot, but I sent Ryan a DM to appear on the podcast and he replied within a few hours. He even arranged for Rob McElhenney to join him and Blake Lively [his wife] came to say hello and offer us some much-needed fashion advice.”

The region’s business community has also benefited. Wrexham Lager, which was founded in 1882, welcomed McElhenney and Reynolds as co-owners in 2024 and is now available in the US.

Since 2019, tourism spend in Wrexham County has jumped from £135m to £180m, (although there was a dip during the pandemic). That is almost double the increase in tourism spend across the UK.

Joe Bickerton is the destination manager at Wrexham County Borough Council and he puts the “large increase” down to interest in the football club. "It is undoubtedly impacted by the awareness of Wrexham via the documentary and new global awareness of Wrexham as a destination.

“It’s also partly due to the perception of Wrexham as Wales's newest city and coming second in the UK City of Culture bid for 2025. Accommodation providers have also reported a huge uptake, with occupancy levels frequently over 90 per cent in the area and many visitors finding it hard to get hotel rooms. There's an incredible wave of optimism and pride locally, so it's very encouraging for the future.”

One of Wrexham’s biggest businesses is customer services provider Moneypenny, which was co-founded in 2000 by siblings Ed Reeves and Rachel Clacher. Today, the company employs around 1,000 staff and has group turnover of £75m. Its HQ – complete with a treehouse meeting room – is a mile from the Racecourse Ground.

Chief commercial officer Mark Finlay believes there is a real buzz in the city. He says: “There’s no doubt that the surge in exposure for Wrexham AFC on the back of Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds’s inspiring involvement has supercharged the city’s international profile, bringing global attention to the immense opportunities here.

“There’s a real sense of pride and momentum across the city. The buzz is tangible and it’s something we feel deeply within our own business. This spotlight has real economic value. Wrexham is the largest city in north Wales, a manufacturing and engineering hub, and home to many world-class businesses.

“With its ambitious cultural and economic vision, including a renewed bid for UK City of Culture 2029, it’s clear that Wrexham is on the rise. Wrexham AFC’s story has become a symbol of transformation, resilience and pride and it’s helping the entire business community grow with it.”

The biggest impact has come from the boost in recognition. Finlay recalls how when he used to tell people the company was based in Wrexham, they would ask where it is. “Now, when we say we’re headquartered in Wrexham, there’s immediate recognition, especially in the US.

“I remember when the Hollywood stars were first linked to the football club and we thought it was a hoax and fake news. The club had been in the non-league for a long time. It seemed unbelievable that a couple of Hollywood stars would be interested in Wrexham.”

“We take clients to the football, especially from the US, and they love it. There’s a genuine feeling they can get into the Premier League. The football club has really put Wrexham on the map. It’s exciting.”

Another established brand in Wrexham is UK-based commercial property developer and asset manager FI Real Estate Management (FIREM). It has invested more than £136m in Wrexham Industrial Estate, which is home to a mix of companies including JCB, Kellogg’s and Very Group, as well as ambitious start-ups.

Tim Knowles, founder and MD, says inquiries have soared and void rates plummeted since the arrival of the football club’s high-profile owners. It has also helped to attract investment. The UK and Welsh governments are supporting the creation of the £160m Flintshire and Wrexham investment zone, which will create jobs and should, says Knowles, attract high-value businesses to the area.

“There’s a feel-good factor around Wrexham and the impact of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney and the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary can’t be understated,” says Knowles.

FIREM itself has a prime development, Wrexham 1M, that it estimates will generate an estimated £1.2bn in economic value and create more than 3,000 full-time jobs, on top of the 1,000 created during construction. With Wrexham’s location near key motorways, airports and ports, Knowles believes that “if you buy and build, the people will come”.

“The Hollywood owners of Wrexham AFC have attracted unprecedented exposure to the region and the business sector has benefited from that. It’s time to invest to enable businesses in Wrexham to flourish.”