Across:
8 Fruit (BANANA) bar (BAN-) area (-A-) is fairly (half) naff (p) (half of ‘naff’ = -NA) (BANANA),
9 New (= anagram indicator) tie clip (tie clip = E-PLICIT) contains cross (-X-) (EXPLICIT) – it’s clear to see (EXPLICIT),
10 Characters to pick up luggage (characters to ‘pick up luggage’ = PLUG) in Cork (cork/lid = PLUG),
11 Old (O-) and new (-N) in ocean liner (sand = S-AND) heard (= homophone indicator) melody (‘air’ = ‘heir’ = HEIR) (SON AND HEIR) from her first child (SON AND HEIR),
12 Having a look behind the curtain (snooping = SPYING) – that’s a job for the agency (job for CIA agency / SPYING),
14 Herbert (Herbert = BRETHRE-) Rock (= anagram indicator) is not the first (‘not’ the first = -N) (BRETHREN) of the older brothers (BRETHREN),
15 Sounds like something offered by catering college is a tonic (REFRESHER COURSE) for those keeping up with latest trends (REFRESHER COURSE),
18 Came to the conclusion (REALISED) dealer is (dealer is = REALISED) crazy (= anagram indicator),
20 State (= homophone indicator) did a job for the bakers (“kneaded” = “NEEDED”) when it was required (NEEDED),
22 Open it if you want to know what’s in The Press (LOUVRE DOOR) and go through it if you want to know what’s in Parisian museum (LOUVRE DOOR),
24 Rank (SORT) of Marshal? (marshal/put in order = SORT),
25 Play charades (M-IME) around neat (neat = -EANT-) set (= anagram indicator) (MEANTIME) in the interval (MEANTIME),
26 Break a promise (RENEGE) to Rocky (= anagram indicator) Greene (Greene = RENEGE).
Down:
1 What the Arabian might do (Arabian horse might GALLOP) left (-L-) in foreign (= anagram indicator) gaol (gaol = GA-LO-) by political leader? (‘political’ leader = -P) (GALLOP),
2 Spilled the beans (SANG) and the sides of salad dressing (the sides of ‘salad dressing’ = SANG),
3 Wise guys (sages = SA-GES) going around America (-USA-) (SAUSAGES) in bangers (SAUSAGES),
4 Some persuade a neighbour (some ‘persuade a neighbour’ = DEAN) working in university (DEAN),
5 Key (music key -G-) found in building (= anagram indicator) opens (opens = SPON-E) (SPONGE) one of those in the bakery (SPONGE),
6 Provides a warning to those travelling overseas (LIGHTHOUSE) with match (LIGHT-) crowd (-HOUSE) (LIGHTHOUSE),
7 Screens (DIVIDERS) those in favour of Partition (DIVIDERS),
13 Teacher (Sir) loses the head (s) (‘sir’ without ‘s’ = IR-) with what’s admissible (-RELEVANT) (IRRELEVANT), as it’s beside the point (IRRELEVANT),
14 Side bar is missing (‘side bar’ is missing/without ‘is’ = debar = BREAD) something to put the butter and marmalade on (BREAD),
16 Look out for (EYE-) wild (= anagram indicator) roses (roses = -SORES) (EYESORES) from areas with too many ugly weeds (EYESORES),
17 Opposed to (CONTRARY to) criminal (CON-) trial (TR-Y) involving a (-A-) third party (third letter of ‘party’ = -R-) (CONTRARY),
19 Pretty as a picture (SCENIC) since (since = SCENI-) changing (= anagram indicator) college (-C) (SCENIC),
21 Get someone’s goat (ENRAGE) in a green (a green = ENRAGE) belt? (= anagram indicator),
23 Remove new cover (‘remove new’ cover = OVEN) from part of the kitchen (OVEN),
24 Carol (SING) is (is = SI-) upset (= reversal indicator) getting a poor grade (no grade = -NG) (SING).