Greg Owens was known to many as the captain of the vibrantly coloured ‘Forever Changes’, which is often moored along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. He was a co-owner of The Hidden Village, a children’s role-play village, toyshop and cafe, which opened on Call Lane last year. Greg and his wife Frankie had been looking forward to celebrating their 30th anniversary in July. But last month, he died unexpectedly as a result of complications during surgery. He was 48 years old.
Kirsty Whatmore, Greg’s sister, said: “He was full of good humour, strong morals and unwavering devotion to his family. I would always describe him to people as my ‘bohemian brother’.” In 2022, Greg and Frankie helped their eldest daughter Ruth set up ‘Role-Play Roundabout’, a unique children’s role-play village that operated as a pop-up in Keighley. Because of its popularity, they set up a permanent base on Call Lane in Leeds last year.