Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac have submitted a planning application for a Wrexham Lager brewery and museum close to the club's STōK Racecourse home ground. After reviving the fortunes of the football club, and taking the Welsh side from the National League to the Championship, the two actors now seem to have set their sights on another of the city's famous exports.
Reynolds and Mac's brewery plans revealed
A planning application has been put forward which details the Hollywood duo's proposals for a new super brewery. The application details how the new brewery will "provide an attractive welcome to the city of Wrexham" and adds that "the Wrexham Lager proposals, consisting a brewery and associated taproom and museum, will utilise existing buildings on the site," as reported by the .
Reynolds and Mac became co-owners of the Wrexham Lager brewery 12 months ago and are now hoping to transform the site after reviving the football club's fortunes. The plans, part of a wider regeneration masterplan for the city centre, also include a restaurant and new public spaces.
The hope is that new proposals can further boost tourism in Wrexham. The club's co-owners have already helped to deliver a £179 million ($228m) tourism boom at Wrexham, thanks also to their famous Welcome to Wrexham documentary about the club, but their new proposals could help bring more visitors to the city in the future.
AdvertisementGetty Images NewsWrexham Lager was served on the Titanic
Wrexham Lager is one of the oldest lagers in the world, going back as far as 1882, and was even famously served aboard the Titanic. Reynolds and Mac invested in the brewery in 2024 and now have a majority stake in the business..
The duo joked about their combining their interest in the company with football after the deal was announced. "As co-chairmen of Wrexham AFC, we have learned a lot," Reynolds and McElhenney said in a statement. "The connection between club and community, the intricacies of the offside rule and the occasional need for beer – especially after finance meetings. Wrexham Lager has a 140-year-old recipe and a storied history and we're excited to help write its next chapter."
AFPThe Turf now part of Wrexham folklore
Beer has featured prominently in Welcome to Wrexham, with The Turf pub featuring prominently. The Turf is situated next to Wrexham's ground and has seen plenty of visits from celebrities over the years. Reynolds has even been spotted pulling pints behind the bar, ensuring it's now part of the tourist trail in Wrexham.
Owner Wayne Jones told The Athletic the impact the club's owners have had on The Turf: “I wake up every day and think it’ll slow down now the documentary has been out several months,” says Jones. “But it doesn’t. They just keep on coming and it’s brilliant for the town. Someone was telling me the show hasn’t been shown in China yet but that is about to change. Maybe the Chinese will be the next to come visit the town, who knows? I can’t remember if it was Rob, Ryan or Humphrey (Ker, Wrexham’s executive director) who said it just before the documentary came out, but one of them told me, ‘Brace yourself for what will happen next’. I just laughed, thinking, ‘We’re just this tiny little town in north Wales where no one knows where it is."
The Turf has also recently had a giant mural of club legend Joey Jones painted on its side following his passing in the summer. Fans funded the mural for a player famously known as 'Mr Wrexham.'
Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Wrexham?
Wrexham have found life tough going this season after promotion to the Championship and currently sit down in 18th place in the table after the first 10 games. Phil Parkinson's side are back in action on Wednesday night against fellow strugglers Oxford United.