FOXXY Foods co-founder Scott Hesketh has been appointed general manager of Queen’s Square Social in Wrexham as the SAVVY Collective venue looks to build a sustainable business across food and drink, meetings, events and content creation.
Scott, 21, takes charge six months after the venue opened on the ground floor of The Old Library, a Grade II listed Carnegie building in the city centre. SAVVY Collective is the family-led hospitality business founded by his father, Steven Hesketh.
He brings an established track record to the role, having started out as a kitchen porter at The Chester Townhouse before co-founding Foxxy Foods, a mobile street food business which launched at DevaFest in 2025. His work with Foxxy Foods earned him the Rising Star Award at the Cheshire East Hospitality People Awards that same year.
He said: “Running a food truck teaches you very quickly where the money is made and lost, and I’m looking forward to bringing the experience and ambition behind Foxxy Foods to Queen’s Square Social.
“A venue like this can’t rely on one income stream. If we want it to be commercially sustainable, every space has to earn its place.”
Built around the idea of “eat, create, connect, celebrate”, the venue has capacity for up to 250 people and operates across four spaces: Queen’s Square Social Cafe (QSS Cafe), The Board, The Pod and The Social.
QSS Cafe anchors daytime trade, with customer numbers rising month on month. The Board gives the venue a corporate audience, with local businesses already holding regular weekly meetings there.
The Pod offers a podcast and vodcast studio, while The Social provides flexible space for hire, from exercise classes and open-mic nights to award ceremonies, keynote speaking events, private celebrations and art exhibitions. It has now hosted its first wedding.
Sharing his vision for the business, Scott said: “Customers have been hugely positive about QSS Cafe and I want to build on that. I want it to be known as an informal place where local professionals can work, meet and connect, as well as somewhere residents can relax and take their time.
“The Pod is a real point of difference, particularly for the growing creative and business community in our area. We’re already recording some fantastic series in there, and are looking forward to developing and we’ll have more to announce soon. The Board is already proving very popular with local businesses and the opportunity to grow that is huge.
“The Social gives us real versatility as a venue. It’s a flexible space for events, workshops, networking, private celebrations and community activity.
“Ultimately I want this to be the place where people come to eat, create, connect and celebrate.”
The team now has five staff, with further recruitment planned as the business grows. The venue is committed to sourcing local products for its menus and wider operations and has a Google review rating of 4.9 out of 5.
The venue operates like a hotel without the beds, offering a cafe, meeting rooms and events space under one roof. But the beds are not far behind because its owners are soon opening The Old Registry, a luxury apartment development in the city’s former register office, which has already taken its first booking.
Scott added: “We’re passionate about working with Welsh suppliers and showcasing the best of what’s on our doorstep. Supporting local businesses will always be at the heart of everything we do.”
SAVVY Collective, which is also behind The Chester Townhouse, has won the Leisure and Tourism Award at the North West Family Business Awards.
The Hesketh family’s stake in Wrexham continues to grow. Alongside Queen’s Square Social, their SAVVY Collective business co-owns and operates Hotel Wrexham and The Savvy Fox.
Its contribution goes beyond the buildings. The business supports local sports clubs and initiatives such as Connect Wrexham, while founder Steven Hesketh’s children’s hospitality book, Bee Our Guest, now reaches young readers in Wales as well as England.
In August SAVVY Collective became a Patron Member of the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce, supporting work on investment, skills and opportunities across the region, with a focus on the visitor economy.
Steven Hesketh said: “This region is where SAVVY Collective started, and it’s where we intend to keep investing for years to come.”
Scott’s appointment puts the next generation of the family at the heart of that commitment.
He said: “Hospitality has always been part of family life for us. I’ve learned the business from the ground up and now I want to build something here that lasts.
We’re only just getting started. With The Old Registry about to open, we’ll be able to offer guests the complete package.”