Focal point

Having paid a first visit to the Photographers' Gallery on Saturday for the Chris Killip retrospective (of which more another day), I can see even more clearly the value in spaces that are permanently (rather than only fleetingly) dedicated to photography. With several floors for exhibitions and special events plus a well-stocked shop in a very central location, it really feels like a hub.

So the news that in January it'll be joined by the Centre for British Photography is very welcome indeed. The Centre will have the added advantage of being able to draw on the Hyman Collection, an archive that features work by the likes of Nick Hedges, Bill Brandt, David Hurn, Cecil Beaton, Ian Berry, Caroline Coon, Tony Ray-Jones, Martin Parr, Daniel Meadows, Peter Mitchell, Don McCullin, Edwin Smith and Homer Sykes.

There will be some who will (justifiably) gripe about the Centre also being situated in London, while - as Lewis Bush has commented on Twitter - it will be interesting to see how its (laudable) aim of being "a dedicated home for British Photography in all its diversity" actually plays out in practice.

But for the moment, at least, let's focus on the positives and see the news as a reflection of the fact that photography in Britain appears to be in good health. In the course of celebrating the form's past and present, the Centre can help to stimulate further enthusiasm for its future.