WREX FACTOR17
Lush scenery, cosy cafe, cheaper gym and proper pub... no wonder Ryan Reynolds is moving near his Welsh footie team
HOLLYWOOD star Ryan Reynolds can enjoy a proper home fixture with Wrexham AFC – after buying a £1.5million pad a 10-minute drive from his beloved footie club.
The Deadpool actor, 46, wanted a place to stay when he makes the 3,000mile journey from New York to watch matches at the Racecourse Ground.
And if the North Wales side clinches its fairy-tale promotion to the Football League tomorrow, Ryan will be toasting its success with the locals who have taken him to their hearts before settling in at the picturesque village of Marford.
North of Wrexham and near the Welsh-English border, it does not have the sights and sounds of Manhattan, 50 miles from his home in Pound Ridge, New York State. But the area has everything he, film star wife Blake Lively and their four kids need – at a fraction of the cost Stateside.
Blake, 35, has confessed her love for NYC’s Sprinkles Cupcakes. And she will find plenty of treats in Gerrard’s bakery in nearby Gresford. Owner Dawn Van Rensburg said: “It’s about time people recognised what a wonderful place Wrexham is. We’re hoping Blake will visit to Gerrard’s. We’re sure we can tempt her with fresh cakes and pastries.” The area also boasts a Spar and Subway. And if they need a gym, Total Fitness in Wrexham is £33 a month compared with the £5,000 a year at Drive495 in Manhattan. Pound Ridge Town Park may boast a lake and New York city has Central Park but Marford has the Maes y Plant nature reserve and Snowdonia is nearby. And of course, Ryan will get to enjoy the no-nonsense British pub. Bartender Katherine at The Turf in Wrexham said visitors have been flocking to sample Aviation Gin, partowned and promoted by Ryan.
She said: “We can’t get our hands on it any more, the turnover was too quick.”
Ryan and pal Rob McElhenney, 45, bought the club in 2020 and were given the freedom of Wrexham this month.
A win tomorrow against Boreham Wood will see the Dragons clinch the National League title. Ryan and Rob are expected to be there – and the locals are ready to raise a glass with them.