Most destinations develop over time. Not so in the age of streaming.
It was a sunny dayin June , and I was on the way to Wrexham . TheWelshcity of fewer than 45,000 does n’t have an drome and I ’d stopped to buy a coffee berry during my train transferral in nearbyChester . Making diminished talking , the bank clerk ask where I was headed .
“ Why ? ” come his quick response .
It was a bonnie question . Most tourist destinations get over time — the process is lessBig Bang Theoryand more possibility of Evolution . But in the age of streaming , that ’s not always the case . On August 24 , 2022 , just as the creation was come out from pandemic - related lockdown , FX releasedWelcome to Wrexham , a show about the triumphs and reverse of the third - oldest professionalfootballclub , as secern by novel possessor Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney . G of people who ’d spent the better part of two year hunkered down decided to engorge one more television show . And when they were finally able to take a holiday , they knew precisely where they want to go . These new sports fan desire to see the Racecourse Ground — the household stadium of Wrexham A.F.C.—for themselves .
Wrexham supporters during the Association Football Club victory parade in 2023.|Crown Copyright
“ On match days now you ’re almost as likely to hear a North American accent mark in the neighbourhood of the Racecourse as you are a north East Wales accent , " Nigel Williams , a fellow member of Wrexham ’s city council , told me .
As a result of raw star might and exposure , Wrexham quickly became a unexampled hub for outside visitors , which also heralded something of a reinvention for the beleaguered urban center that was previously most well known outside the UK for a 1934 mining disaster that claim 266 life — including those of men who ’d deal shifts to attend a game by and by that day . And its football ball club itself has a turbulent past tense . In the former 2000s , former owners made suspicious backroom dealsto financially gain themselves at the price of the squad and the townsfolk . In December 2004 , the team file for the UK ’s edition of failure . As I would soon learn from locals , childrendonated piglet banking concern , while adult remortgaged their house and contributed from their saving for wedding ceremony and vacation funds . Within seven 60 minutes , the town had raised the eq of $ 62,340 . A devotee - owned coalition , theWrexham Supporters ’ Trust , levy money to purchase the club outright in 2011 and ran it until Reynolds and McElhenney get the helm in former 2020 .
Soon after pulling into town , I guide toThe Turf , a pub well - known to viewers of the show . police prohibitthe sale or consumption of alcohol at England and Wales football matches , so the pub is where celebrations after the game take piazza , where those without just the ticket gather to see matches , where local come for a pint most anytime , and where tourists arrive by the XII to see the now - illustrious haunt in mortal . It ’s also whereWrexham AFCwas establish in 1864 .
The Racecourse Ground can seat 12,600 fans, though many more can watch “Welcome to Wrexham” from the comfort of their own homes.|Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images
While there , I partake a pint with owner Wayne Jones , who tell me that line of work had triple since the show ’s premiere . “ On friction match daylight , between topical anaesthetic and out - of - towner , there ’s a line before we even open up , ” he said . That ’s not all surprising , given that in the calendar month after the 2022 premiere of the show , on-line sales of the squad ’s logoed items added up to $ 407,844 , compared to $ 67,605 the same month the old yr — a more than 500 % increase . But even though Wrexham has taken a bit of a star twist in late years , it still ended up provide a restful holiday relatively free from the tourist swarm .
From the Turf , I ventured out into the countryside along winding roads and emerald Hill , stopping at thePontcysyllte Aqueduct . While I prefer to walk along the 126 - infantry - mellow cast iron gutter , part of an 11 - nautical mile , UNESCO - designated area along the Llangollen Canal , other options for visitors include a epithelial duct gravy holder term of enlistment or hire a gravy boat to research Wales or nearby England . I also give up at the nearby 700 - year - oldChirk Castle , part of the UK National Trust . One might not normally think of a castling as part of an out-of-door action , but this position is an important home ground for rarefied invertebrates , bat , fungus , and wildflowers . Its 5.5 - acre garden smooth with different blooms throughout as a resultant role of seasonal planting .
That evening , I stayed at theHand Hotel , which described itself as “ charming , ” “ quaint , ” and “ full of fibre ” on its web site . I detect the description apt . Built in 1610 , this 13 - room hotel , one of the oldest in Wales , had a welcoming hearth in its petite entering . I looked out onto a raging tubful from my elbow room , which was beautify in calming grey and white . Later , while study a dip , I stare out onto the verdant hills scatter with dozens of sheep , reminding myself that I was in Wales and not New Zealand .
A marching band goes past The Turf in 1988.|Natematics Tuition
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As the infotainment has boil down on the urban center itself , the kayoed area within the county have n’t seen the influx of touristry the city has . “ The documentary , whilst marvellous , fail to include the rest of the borough of Wrexham , and no reference whatsoever is made of the epically beautiful Ceiriog Valley , ” enounce Jonathan Greatorex , reference the location of the hotel he co - owns .
The next day , after my brief bit of a break from football fanfare , I enjoy a drink downtown at theLemon Tree , a restaurant and hotel in a neo - gothic building earlier built in the 1860s . While there , I spoke with Neil Roberts , the captain of the Wrexham men ’s team in the mid aught . He told me that two years into Reynolds and McElhenney ’s ownership fellowship tenure , the club was promoted to a more prestigious league . And in 2024 , they achieved promotion once again . Now , ESPN is even show some of their matches .
And it ’s not just the men ’s squad that has given the city a victory to swash about . Neil ’s daughter , Mia , grew up in Wrexham and played on the charwoman ’s squad , which win their division in 2023 . This year , they were nominate by the Women ’s Football Awards for being both the best club of the year and for having the full manager . “ It was a statement , I think , that the women are part of the strategical overview for the future of the guild , ” Roberts tell .
Chirk Castle is less than 20 minutes away from Wrexham proper and all its football-centric sights.|Pen-y-Dyffryn Country Hotel
Roberts is accept advantage of the metropolis ’s newfound fame , entering in as a atomic number 27 - owner ofVault33 , a of late - opened wine-colored bar with little - stay flat , a venture he attribute to a notion that the city was continue to develop twelvemonth after yr . Meanwhile , back in town , I soon learned that the Wrexham Museum was temporarily closed with a programme to reopen in 2026 as The Museum of Two Halves — one half would continue to house authoritative town archives , while the other would be designate as The Football Museum for Wales .
Wrexham ’s arts scene is also growing along with the added attention . FOCUS Walesis a multi - venue , euphony and film festival with an side by side conference that ’s for certain profit from the tot attention . More than 18,000 people attended their 2021 issue and , after the premiere of “ Welcome to Wrexham ” the following year , the next event saw 5,000 more attender . The coming event is expected to be an even self-aggrandizing draw .
In 2022 , King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla attended services at the 500 - year - oldSt . Giles ’ Parish Churchto preen the town of Wrexham for being promoted to a full - vaned urban center . But as one local put it to me : “ It ’s a metropolis with a township at philia . ” Wrexham ’s current challenge , according to the city ’s tourism manager , is the pressing need for better substructure to support all of this touristry . That means more post space and hotel rooms , additional high - ending hotel , more frequent trains with gamey mental ability , and add route access . Though they were recently turned down for a assignment provide by the UK’sLevelling Upcampaign , city functionary hope to receive additional funding through other government program and private donation .
local clearly welcome the interest in their Ithiel Town — and the tourism dollar sign . But Wrexham ’s sensation turn has been sudden , and a bit draining , too .
Jones , for his part , told me that he has no desire to expand The Turf . “ These recent yr have been good , but there are drawbacks , ” he say . “ I have less time to spend with my family and I do n’t need to continue that direction . That ’s most important . ”
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