A tiny Welsh village is reportedly set to get a very big name among its residents as Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds is thought to have bought a property in the area. It has been widely reported that the actor has bought a £1.5m property in Marford, just a few miles from his beloved Wrexham AFC.
The as-yet mystery property is said to be a short, five-mile drive from Wrexham's Racecourse Ground. Canadian actor Reynolds became a co-owner of the club along with fellow Hollywood actor Rob McElhenney back in November 2020.
And since taking over at the club, Reynolds has been far from an absent overseas owner, displaying instead a very hands-on, 'lead from the front' approach to his tenure. Frequently turning up at the Racecourse for matches, he has subsequently become a very familiar face in the local community, with many embracing him with equal enthusiasm.
Read more: Ryan Reynolds reportedly buys home in Welsh village for £1.5million
Last month, Reynolds posed for pictures with his new baby, wife Blake Lively and their other children on the Racecourse pitch before their game against York. He has been very vocal about his role in heading the Welsh club. In an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, he said: "I remember seeing Blake, saying, 'I have bad news and I have really bad news. I slipped into someone's DMs again. The really bad news is that I might have bought half of a fifth tier national football league in Wales'."
But it looks as though the family could soon have a base in the sleepy north Wales village, worlds away from the hustle and bustle of New York life.
Marford is just a few miles from the Welsh border and has a population of around 2,500 people. And while the actor is used to having more than enough to entertain him in the Big Apple, he can expect a quieter pace in the village which has just two pubs and a Co-op supermarket.
The greatest attraction is, perhaps, the disused quarry, which since being shut down in 1971 has become an important nature reserve, having been colonised by a variety of plant species and insect life like moths and butterflies.
It is thought the actor has bought one of the most prestigious properties in the area, but many of them are worth a fair whack it seems. According to Rightmove, properties in Marford had an overall average price of £479,600 over the last year. The majority of sales were detached properties, selling for an average price of £528,857. Semi-detached properties sold for an average of £364,667.
However, the thought of the silver screen A-lister being a more permanent fixture in the village - to the extent he might even be spotted putting out the recycling on bin day - brought out the mischievous side in some. And, taking to social media, they were keen to make their opinions felt.
"It'll make the school run a bit more interesting, I guess," posted someone on Facebook. Another added that it was the convenience of having a well-stocked supermarket close by which had sealed the deal, adding, "It's the local Co-op which won him over."
Meanwhile, others were keen to see Reynolds immerse himself still further in local life. "I am almost tempted to tell him there is a vacancy on our community council, but fear the ‘excitement’ may be too overwhelming," wrote one person. Nevertheless, the house's eyewatering price tag proved a sticking point for some.
"I could have got together the deposit easily enough," read one comment. "But, unfortunately, I'd be out on my a*se in six months."
Some were just generally bemused by Reynolds' choice of location. "I love Marford but you would think with all his money he would buy somewhere a bit more rural with more privacy/security," pondered one local. "After all, it's not like he needs to get a bus to the Racecourse."
Mostly, though, people just wanted to wish him well. "So what? Let him live where he wants," shrugged a fellow resident. "I hope he's left in peace."
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