Is Wrexham on Your Radar?
There is a popular series on Disney+ called Welcome to Wrexham! Wait, "Our Wrexham?" The Wrexham, Wales, we've visited twice before this streaming behemoth hit the airwaves? Apparently so. When the popular documentary about two prominent Hollywood actors, Rob McElhenny and Ryan Reynolds, attempting to buy the struggling Wrexham Football Club became a runaway hit - we were proud to say we knew Wrexham before Wrexham was cool (well, it's still not very cool, but at least people know where it is.)
Why had we been to this scruffy former coal and steel town as The Senior Nomads? Because we met our friends Wendy and Graham Clutton, who live in Wrexham, aboard a week-long Gulet boat cruise from Kotor, Montenegro, to Dubrovnik, Croatia and back in 2015. That was a memorable and often hilarious trip that was full of mishaps and memorable moments, and we just fell for each other.
Sharing a Fourth of July tradition with our fellow passengers aboard the Gulet in 2015 - followed by a traditional picnic in Wrexham with Wendy and Graham the following year. We’ve made some wonderful, forever-friends during our ten years of traveling.
And we fell for their authentic, working-class hometown. Parts of the historic center offer glimpses of former prosperity, and there are plenty of cultural sites and lovely city parks. And the nearby countryside provides boundless beauty.
A short walk from the Cluttons’ put you on a meandering path through fieds and farmland.
When we left Samois-sur-Seine, France, this summer, our first destination for our three-week wander through England and Wales was Wrexham. This would be our third stay with the Cluttons; however, this time, we had an agenda! We’d become dedicated fans of the TV series and couldn't wait for an actual "Welcome to Wrexham" experience!
Here is the synopsis of the TV series from a site called Decider: As anyone who watched Season 1 of Welcome To Wrexham could tell you, the locals in Wrexham, a town in North Wales, were somewhat cautious when Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds bought their beloved football team, but they have bought into the stars' plan to turn the team's fortunes around. The team managed to purchase the Racecourse Ground stadium, the world's oldest international football stadium, which has been the team's home for its entire existence. Rob and Ryan want to rebuild the condemned standing-room stadium section called the Kop. Their goal was to get the team promoted out of the fifth-tier league the team has resided in since the late '00s. Season 2 follows the 2022-23 season to see if that critical promotion actually occurs.
Formed in 1864, it is the oldest club in Wales and the third-oldest professional association football team in the world.
It was engaging to talk about the "God Shot" purchase of the team and its impact on the community. From our friends Graham and Wendy (and their friends and family) to the local librarian, the publican, the local brewer, the grocery store clerk, and even little kids. Almost everyone is "chuffed" (meaning very pleased) about the situation!
The denizens of Wrexham might have been skeptical, even cynical at first - but now they truly believe Rob and Ryan have their best interests at heart, and you can feel the love. We visited The Racecourse (the name of the venue), but we couldn't get into the stadium because a flurry of construction work was underway.
Graham sharing the big plans for The Racecourse - odd name for a soccer stadium, but it was, in fact a former racetrack. And I think the Welsh signage on the shop says “Beware! Very expensive apparel and souvenirs lurk behind these doors!”
We did visit the official gear shop and left with a tiny jersey with a hefty price for Weston, our one-year-old grandson. Afterward, we stopped at The Turf, the storied pub attached to the stadium, for a pint.
This historic venue is known as the birthplace of Wrexham FC, and its patrons have weathered all the ups and downs (mostly downs) of every match for generations. The now famous owner was there, but I was too shy to ask for a picture together. But that’s not the case with the new onslaught of American tourists. Apparently, they wander in to snap selfies and chat with the locals all hours of the day!
The influx of tourists from the US has Wrexham a bit baffled, but it has certainly been good for business!
After our homage to the Wrexham Football Club, we continued to explore the town. That included a tour of the Wrexham Lager Brewery. Graham's best mate since grammar school, Mark Roberts, bought the discarded brand from a famous international beverage conglomerate for a single pound coin.
Michael hoisting a delicious pint of Wrexham Lager and both of us with Mark, the owner, and his young brewmaster who will break ground literally, and culturally, when he moves to the middle east to open a state-of-the-art outpost where no beer has gone before.
He didn't know it then - but he'd bought a golden ticket. He revived the brew and the brand, but when the football club became famous worldwide, the once humble lager became the "it" beer. Now they can't make enough! All that, and it's tasty, too! And if wonders never cease for Wrexham, this humble brewery is set to open a facility in the UAE, the first producer of alcohol in the Middle East. Crazy.
On our last day, it was raining hard, so we decided to camp at the local library where Michael could do some travel research and I could catch up on some writing. It was a great way to while away the day. We dashed out for lunch at a popular Fish and Chips shop which turned out to be a highlight. The restaurant and the waitresses of a certain age were right out of central casting!
I had the “regular-sized” serving of Fish and Chips. Regular for a 220-pound rugby player, maybe! It came with a massive piece of fish, a mountain of chips, sliced soft white bread and butter, bright green mushy peas, and a nice pot of hot tea. Delightful.
Michael's Steak Pie with chips and gravy was equally overwhelming. And equally delicious. We've found all the food portions served in pubs and shops like this beyond plentiful - and affordable.
Last week, Season 2 of Welcome to Wrexham started. If you aren’t under the spell of the TV series, you might not visit this rough-and-ready celtic town, but you'd be missing a diamond in the rough. Since we are fans and love our dear friends (and Wendy's cooking and a firm bed), no doubt we'll return - next time during football season!
Thanks for following along,
Debbie and Michael Campbell
p.s. From Wales, we took a two-week car trip through England's Lakes District and the Yorkshire Dales. Stay tuned.