Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac are expanding their footprint in Wrexham, and their latest purchase should be instantly recognizable to fans of “Welcome to Wrexham.”
The Hollywood stars and Wrexham AFC co-owners have acquired The Turf, the historic pub next to the club’s Racecourse Ground. But this isn’t just another property near the stadium: Wrexham AFC was founded at the then-named Turf Hotel in October 1864.
The purchase therefore brings the football club, Racecourse Ground and the place where Wrexham’s story began more than 160 years ago under common ownership.
According to BBC, Wrexham said the acquisition would help “protect the historic pub” while creating new opportunities around the fan experience.
For Reynolds and Mac, The Turf Wrexham is now more than a famous “Welcome to Wrexham” landmark. It is a piece of the club’s origin story that has finally come under the same ownership as the club itself.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac’s Wrexham Purchase Goes Back to the Very Beginning
The Turf’s connection to Wrexham AFC predates Reynolds and Mac’s 2021 takeover by well over a century. Wrexham AFC was founded in October 1864 at what was then known as the Turf Hotel, making it the oldest football club in Wales.
Longtime landlord Wayne Jones explained that the establishment continued playing an important role in the club’s history long after its founding. Players were still using the pub to change before running onto the Racecourse Ground as recently as the 1940s. “It continues to be a focal point for fans on matchdays and non-matchdays,” Jones said.
That history is one reason Wrexham’s ownership wants the pub protected. The club said bringing The Turf, Racecourse Ground and Wrexham AFC together under the same ownership would preserve the pub’s traditions while “ring fencing key areas related to the life of the club.”
The deal could also lead to further investment around matchdays, with Wrexham identifying opportunities to enhance its existing fan zone and other activities around The Turf.
The Turf Wrexham Has Attracted Some Famous Visitors
While The Turf’s history stretches back generations, “Welcome to Wrexham” has helped introduce the pub to an international audience. Both The Turf and Jones have regularly appeared in the award-winning documentary series chronicling Reynolds and Mac’s ownership of the Welsh club.
The attention surrounding Wrexham has also turned the pub into something of a celebrity stop. Paul Rudd, Will Ferrell and Channing Tatum are among the stars who have visited The Turf since Reynolds and Mac took control of Wrexham AFC.
Tatum visited with Reynolds in 2024, while Rudd famously joined supporters at the pub before Wrexham secured promotion back to the English Football League in 2023. Even royalty has stepped behind the bar.
Prince William visited The Turf with Mac while marking St. David’s Day in March 2024. During the visit, the Prince of Wales tried his hand at pulling a pint with Mac.
The parade of recognizable visitors illustrates just how dramatically Wrexham’s profile has changed since Reynolds and Mac arrived. What had long been a beloved local gathering place has also become familiar to viewers around the world through the documentary series.
The Expansion Won’t Push Out a Familiar Face
Despite the ownership change, fans shouldn’t expect everything about The Turf to suddenly look different. Jones, who has been landlord for two decades and has become a familiar face to “Welcome to Wrexham” viewers, will continue running the pub.
He welcomed the acquisition and said he looked forward to bringing The Turf’s “unique mix of history, atmosphere and sometimes Hollywood stardust” to future generations of Wrexham supporters and local residents. The acquisition also fits into the ownership group’s wider effort to secure important assets surrounding the football club.
Eric Allyn, speaking on behalf of the Allyn family, which became a minority investor in Wrexham through Red Dragon Ventures in 2024, said the town, community and club had become a “second home” since the investment. “By bringing The Turf into the group, we are securing the long-term future of the pub and with it preserving its history and that of the club,” Allyn said.
For Reynolds and Mac, that means their latest Wrexham acquisition isn’t merely an expansion of their holdings. More than 160 years after the football club’s story began at the pub, The Turf is now officially part of the same ownership group helping write Wrexham’s next chapter.
