Row over best location for new Welsh football museum in Wrexham

Wrexham Council’s executive board today approved measures to progress plans to showcase the country’s footballing heritage at its existing town centre museum.

About 80,000 visitors are expected to flock to Wrexham Museum each year once work to expand it has been carried out.

However, opposition politicians believe it should be incorporated into Wrexham AFC’s Racecourse Ground once the Kop end has been redeveloped.

Plaid Cymru’s Marc Jones, who campaigned for the museum to be created, said: “Four years ago we put this forward as a suggestion.

“We launched it in The Racecourse with Peter Jones from Wrexham Supporters Trust and the football club and we gradually built support for this idea.

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• “Initially we had a struggle on our hands to argue that we wanted a football museum in the first place, secondly that it should be in Wrexham and thirdly that it should be part of The Racecourse regeneration.

“We’ve won two of those arguments, we haven’t quite managed to secure the third one yet, but I’m not quite going to give up on that yet despite what’s in the report.”

His comments were echoed by Labour’s Graham Rogers, who said the football museum should only be based at Wrexham Museum on a temporary basis until the new Kop is built.

In response, the council’s deputy leader Hugh Jones said an independent report carried out by consultants showed the current museum to be the best location.

Their recommendation has been given the backing of the Welsh Government, which has pledged money towards the project.

He added that Wrexham AFC officials had also voiced their support as they wanted other money raising facilities to be created under the proposed new Kop stand.

He said: “I have made it very clear that the football club agree with the recommendation of the independent consultants that Wrexham Museum is the right place as opposed to The Racecourse.

“Secondly, there are a number of significant logistical reasons why if it were to go into The Racecourse, it would take up space they need for other revenue generating opportunities.

“The third point that I’ve made is that we in the county borough council have got a significant expertise within our own staff in the museum.

“When you have an independent consultant that comes up with a recommendation that clearly states that Wrexham Museum is the best location, that recommendation is then accepted by Welsh Government, why would we then want to battle against it and muddy the ground?”

Cllr David Griffiths, a member of the ruling administration, said he was surprised by the argument over the location.

At the end of the meeting, the executive board backed progressing the plans to the next stage by appointing architects to design the upgraded museum building.

They also gave officers the authority to enter negotiations with the Welsh Government and apply for lottery funding to support the development.