Jacobs Pro Lounge

The Pro Lounge hosting the Canon 50D event.

One of the side effects of the news industry going digital meant that we no longer had to get back to the paper with our films after an assignment. In the "old days" the papers had photographers' rooms and we could chew the fat whilst waiting for our films to be processed. This was a great time to catch up on things, talk about assignments and generally hang out. With this aspect of the job gone forever, you'll find news photographers walking the streets aimlessly as they have no where to go after having wired their pictures.

Some friends from The Telegraph came up with a street where most of us hang out and wire from. However, there is now a new place; The Pro Lounge at Jacobs.

Richard Lewis tries out the Canon 50D.

I remember a couple of years ago having a chat with Colin and Donal as they suggested the idea of the Pro Lounge. It seemed too good to be true. But, credit where its due, and true to their word, it was created. Practically every professional photographer I know in London and the surrounding areas shops at Jacobs on New Oxford Street. It has to be said that no one offers the same amount and level of service they do. But apart from shopping, we also now had a place to hang out. Sofas, coffee machine and WiFi. Its so refreshing to be in a shop where the sales team actually is passionate about photography, understands the various aspects of the industry and knows what they are talking about.

I was there yesterday and saw for the first time the newly refurbished lounge; its superb! The whole place has been decorated, there's a TV with rolling news, better coffee facilities, plug points for charging batteries and laptops and lots of ethernet points for wiring from.

Nick Millen from Canon chats with a customer with a backdrop of images from the BPPA's 5000 Days project.

Chances are, most of you already go to Jacobs; if you're a pro photographer and haven't yet been, I urge you to try them. Equipment, service, wiring, chilling out facilities and great conversation. The pro lounge is definitely worth a visit.