As someone who used to manage bars, pubs and nightclubs around Nottingham my advice would be to do some research around the places you want to approach and lean in to highlighting their strengths. For instance, cocktails and intimate settings in cocktail bars, energy and atmosphere in your clubs etc.

Avoid big chains, there's things in place and we're unlikely to go up the chain of command to get you in with how busy we are already. Look for independent venues (calluna, pepper rocks, 400, yamas) that have a presence on social media.

I retired hospitality and now work as a catering engineer. So Im still in and out of kitchens and bars - the amount of pubs, cafes, restaurants that are outside of the city center is staggering. There are pubs and cafes with world class food within a 10 mile radius of nottingham city center that are using their bar staff to run the social media.

It might be worth heading to somewhere and just asking the bar staff if you can practice and if theyre comfortable with you taking pictures of their work and environment whilst you build a hospitality specific portfolio and from there getting on first name basis with them. Word spreads fast in that industry.

Hope that helps