There is a fascination with the Green story, and with events like yesterday's decision to award himself a£1.2 billion dividend from Arcadia, it grows even greater. National coverage of Green's wealth is always tinged with a streak of envy, but in truth there is no reason for him not to have paid himself the money.
Arcadia's shareholders sold him the business cheaply, but he has continued to develop it and steer it through tough trading conditions, ensuring Topshop in particular has been the star performer in high street fashion.
Green is shrewd enough to know there are challenges ahead. The next year will continue to be tough and Bhs is finding life difficult. But if the Arcadia chains continue to be well run, there is no reason why they won't continue to ride out the storm.
How Sir Ken Morrison would wish to be in Green's shoes. Yesterday's descent into loss, and the confusion over the future management of the business, showed just what a pickle Morrisons has got into since the purchase of Safeway.
The conversion of Safeway stores to Morrisons is almost complete. However, what Sir Ken needs to do now is shore up the core Morrisons business, which appears to have been criminally neglected during the Safeway integration process. These are the stores that made Morrisons a great business originally - if they can get back on track, it would go a long way to stabilising the retailer. The confusion over the chief executive role needs to be cleared up urgently.
Taking the eye off the ball can be fatal in the supermarket business. It is to the credit of Somerfield's excellent management that the retailer managed to achieve a record market share in the latest TNS figures, despite the seemingly interminable uncertainty over the company's future.
Now we know who the new owners are, it is incumbent on them to continue to support Somerfield chief executive Steve Back and accelerate the chain's modernisation. With convenience shopping in vogue and Morrisons in disarray, there is a real opportunity.
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