JORDAN DAVIES is excited by the new business venture he is embarking on and has vowed to learn from the experts after adding the hospitality industry to being a footballer.

Wrexham midfielder Davies, who hails from Coedpoeth, is part of the new management team for the Croes Howell restaurant and bar situated on the Straight Mile between Rossett and Llay.

Joining forces with director of the Far Boar, Richard Watkin, the pair have worked hard to get the building up and running for the summer.

After announcing a shock closure in November 2023, the 400-year-old venue has been undergoing renovations ever since the takeover was announced and has started to open for drinks with food to launch by the end of May.

On his new role, Davies, who came through the youth ranks at The Racecourse and returned to his hometown club in the summer of 2020 following a spell at Brighton and Hove Albion, said: “There’s no pressure at all from anyone.

“Richard just said that we’ll form this partnership and do whatever I feel is necessary.

“It’s not been set in stone what I need to do and what I don’t need to do, it is just going to be natural.

“Whenever I am needed I will step-up. These guys have got all the experience in the industry so I am just going to try and learn and absorb everything from them.”

Davies, who has helped Wrexham clinch back-to-back promotions for the first time in the club’s history, revealed how he got involved with the project.

“The Croes Howell shut down originally and I heard the Fat Boar might be interested in taking over,” said the 25-year-old.

“I dropped Richard a message and it went from there.

“It is not something I have been interested in long-term. I never had previous plans for it.

“But the opportunity arose and it is a brilliant chance for me and the family to get into something and we are really excited to get started.

“And here we are. We have been open for drinks and will be open for food towards the end of the month.”

Davies took to social media in March to request suggestions for a name change to the venue to “freshen it up” but has confirmed it will remain as the Croes Howell due to its Welsh heritage.

“The feedback has been excellent,” added Davies, who will be plying his trade with Wrexham in League One when the 2024-25 season kicks off in August.

“We put the feeler out there for some names to give us a hand and I think I had close to a 1,000 messages with names and all that sort of stuff.

“We had hundreds of messages saying ‘keep it the Croes Howell’.

“We liked the Croes Howell with the Welsh in it so we decided to stick with that.”

Davies has helped Wrexham clinch the National League title following a record-breaking 2022-23 season and another celebration as the Reds secured promotion from League Two last month.

“The first promotion was probably more relief and the second was success,” said Davies.

“I think I could enjoy the second one a bit more because there wasn’t a ton of pressure, if that makes sense.

“The National League was like promotion or bust, this was our first season in League Two and we did it in one season which was amazing.

“I am proud of the success and seeing everyone’s hard work paying off.”

On both occasions after securing promotion, the players were rewarded with an an all-expenses-paid lavish bash in Las Vegas, with co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney funding the trip.

Davies says that Wrexham and success now go hand-in hand, and he hopes it continues.

“We said about Las Vegas being a once in a lifetime trip but it has happened twice in two years. It is crazy,” added Davies.

“The town has almost become accustomed to success.

“The last couple of years have been absolutely brilliant for the town and the team, and long may that continue.”