Popular Southsea shop Nina's Surplus Stores is closing after 42 years

Nina’s Surplus Store in Highland Road, Southsea, has been sold at auction after owner Nina Anderson decided she could no longer run the office supplies and furniture shop.

The 84-year-old, originally from Italy, ran the store with her ‘much loved’ husband Maurice who died last November aged 80 after setting up the shop in 1978.

Nina told The News both her and Maurice ‘loved’ running the store. ‘It was our life,’ she said.

‘We loved it so much. People enjoyed coming in and talking with Maurice. He was very popular. Even now people come in and say they will buy a souvenir for him.

‘It was very special for Maurice. His funeral procession even stopped outside the shop so he could look at it one final time.

‘Maurice was a good man who everyone loved. He would get on with everyone whether you were rich or poor.’

Before launching Nina’s, Maurice was a supermarket manager but wanted to run his own store.

The couple then decided to take the plunge and never looked back despite some tough times.

‘Over the years there has been a lot of hard work every day. We had to sell our house and had no money. We had to take out bank loans,’ Nina said.

‘We enjoyed running the shop, though. When I was 75 I was unable to help out as much in the shop because I couldn’t lift anything but Maurice carried on until last October when he became unwell.

‘I tried keeping it going with my granddaughter until January but I can’t handle it now so decided to sell it at auction. I got the price I wanted for it and am due to sign paperwork for it next week.’

Nina, who has lived in England for more than 60 years, became a national figure after her home was burgled in December 2014.

Her efforts led to police capturing the assailant who was jailed for three years - resulting in her appearing on national television and becoming known as Miss Marple.

Nina said: ‘We were robbed in a burglary where all our jewellery was taken. After police did not find the man I went round local shops and found two of my necklaces that had been sold to the shops by the burglar.

‘The police were then able to find the man and he got three years in jail. I became known as Miss Marple.

‘If I didn’t do the work the police wouldn’t have found the man.’

The incident captured the imagination of the nation. Nina added: ‘I was meant to go on Good Morning Britain but Cilla Black died so I didn’t go but a TV crew came to our house instead.’

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