Sold: To L’Ombre In The Superman Suit

Northern Rock is a bit like a damsel in distress – tied to the financial train tracks, a steam engine whistling in the distance, and nary a sign of a square-jawed hero to whisk her away to safety.

But wait, what’s this?! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Spanish wine tycoon Jose Maria Ruiz-Mateos. Dressed in a Superman outfit. Could she be saved? Saved at last?

Maybe so. According to the FT, Jose the hero has written to Northern Rock expressing an interest in buying the beleaguered Geordie business.

This, however, might not gladden the hearts of Northern Rock’s customers.

Flamboyant is just one of the words that have been used to describe the eccentric Ruiz-Mateos, who arrived on these shores in the 1980s as he fought charges of smuggling, fraud and tax embezzlement in Spain.

He was eventually cleared of the charges, but not before turning up to court dressed as Superman (all of it documented on YouTube).

On another occasion he lobbed a cream tart at a Spanish minister he blamed for the collapse of his wine company.

Now, things are bad at Northern Rock, but are they really that bad? Surely the recent run on the bank would turn into a Pamplona-style charge if old Jose took over. Forget queueing: all British restraint would be abandoned.

Maybe just as well, then, that the head honchos at Northern Rock say they’re not taking this offer very seriously.

You can see Jose dressed as the ‘Man of Steel’ on this YouTube clip – and let’s face it, Adam Applegarth was never this much fun:

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