Phil Cowan during his years running an interior design shop in Primrose Hill

PRIMROSE Hill Community Centre was full of people last Saturday as friends and neighbours came to celebrate the life of Phil Cowan.

Mr Cowan, who will be remembered for his tireless campaigning in homelessness, animal rights, and protecting the local area, died in March due to cancer, aged 57.

His friends gathered for a celebration of his life in the community centre, with songs, cake and a filmed message from broadcaster and retail guru Mary Portas. Friend Simon Happily organised the evening.

He said: “Phil didn’t want a funeral. He wanted this to be a celebration of his life. “He was born on the 25th of June, 1967, gone too soon, born in Edinburgh in Scotland. Since he was 18, he got the hell out and moved to London, where I think he would say his life really began.”

Mr Cowan went to drama school, and acted with the likes of Harry Enfield, before opening a stall in Camden Market, which “was the start of the Phil we all knew and love”.

He then opened a 20th-century modern furniture shop in Chalk Farm Road called Boom.

His friend Doug Poggioli met Mr Cowan in 1999 when he was working as a teacher at the American School in St John’s Wood. Mr Poggioli recalled Mr Cowan’s “enormous generosity” while work­ing at the furniture shop.

“People hung around the shop after hours to party with him,” Mr Poggioli said.

“He bought all the booze. Anyone who wanted to come was welcome. We would be in that shop till four in the morning.

“He was forgiving of people’s messiness because he was quite messy himself. He hated snobbery, racism. He hated cruelty and laziness. It was easy to sponge off of him, and some people did. But he gave because he could, because he couldn’t understand stinginess or greed or indifference. He was a generous soul.

“He is missed by those who knew him and by the community he gave his life to.”

Lucy Cotterell, a Primrose Hill resident who got to know Mr Cowan over the ongoing debates of safety in the park, recalled his love of politics.

She said: “He told me that when he couldn’t sleep, he sometimes listened to the Camden Council meetings, a masochistic act, if nothing else, even when the councillors were asleep Phil was listening. He really was the councillor that we should have had but never did.”

Mary Portas sent a video message

Friends emphasised Mr Cowan’s empathy, generosity, love of the sunshine and positivity. He never complained, it was said repeatedly.

Ms Cotterell said: “I had a discussion with somebody who went with him to the hospital, and she told me a terrible story. Phil was actually in so much pain, he was writhing on the floor.

“Shortly afterwards Phil said to me ‘I’ve had a terrible time at hospital. I’m panicking’, which was really unlike him. And he said, ‘I came out of the gents and I saw Sarah Ferguson. And I didn’t know what to do, should I call her her royal highness? I called her Fergie.’ Not a word about any of the pain. It was so so Phil.”

Simon Happily hosting the tribute evening

Streets Kitchen volunteer Stephanie Levy, who worked alongside Mr Cowan every Sunday night in Camden Town providing people with food, shared how their guests only wanted to be served by Mr Cowan.

She said: “What I want to say is that tonight we have in this room both the person who created Streets Kitchen and the last volunteer who only had one shift with Phil on a Sunday. And that’s a testimony of how Phil touched all of us at Streets Kitchen in very many different ways. Singer Lana Pillay performed a rendition of her 1980s song Pistol in my Pocket. And actor Annabel Leventon sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Mary Portas, who Mr Cowan campaigned with to turn businesses around on the high street, said in a pre-recorded message: “I know that your wonderful spirit and your energy and your love is somewhere very beautiful. The impact that you’ve had on my life, this community’s life, and just generally, making life better. Wherever you are. We love you. We miss you. Go safely dear friend.”

. You can donate to the three charities Mr Cowan fundraised for in his memory by visiting: https://givewheel.com/fundraising/7783/Primrose Phil/