Across:
8 No charge (free) to finish off (e) (‘free’ without ‘e’ = FRE-) concert hall (National Concert Hall = -NCH) (FRENCH) in Paris (FRENCH),
9 Croaky (“hoarse” = “HORSE-”) on the radio (= homophone indicator) and on local television (-BOX) (HORSEBOX) in the trailer for Black Beauty (HORSEBOX),
10 Make-up artist takes edges off (‘make-up artist’ takes edges off = MAST) Pole (pole = MAST),
11 Provides security on the door (LOCK-) like 21down (like ‘goalie’ = -KEEPER) (LOCK-KEEPER) – those in The Barge appreciate him letting them go with the flow (LOCK-KEEPER),
12 Close (shut) most of (most of ‘shut’ = SHU-) the paper (Financial Times = -FT-) with one (-I) (SHUFTI) quick look (SHUFTI),
14 Diddle from lords and ladies? (‘diddle’ from ‘lords and ladies’ = orsanlas = ALSO-RANS) Of course, they didn’t win! (ALSO-RANS),
15 They tend to shine (FRENCH POLISHERS) in 8 across (‘French’ = FRENCH), 19 down (‘polish’ = POLISH-) and a fair amount of (half of) the papers (half the ‘papers’ = -ERS) (FRENCH POLISHERS),
18 Lock up (SHEEP PEN) that woman (SHE-) taking record (-EP) from writer (PEN) (SHEEP PEN),
20 Ruffle someone’s feathers (ENRAGE) with a Green (a green = ENRAGE) remedy (= anagram indicator),
22 Provides cover in winter (DUFFEL COAT) for the paramilitaries (Ulster Freedom Fighters = -UFF-) in Germany (Germany domain = .de = D-E), Lima (-L) and Ulster (ulster overcoat / COAT) (DUFFEL COAT),
24 The first to go (LEAD) out of shot in the war sense (LEAD bullet),
25 Revolutionary (red = RE-D) besieging seat of government (-HOUSE-) (REHOUSED) is accommodated again (REHOUSED),
26 Car (model T-) takes girl (-ANN-) to fashionable (-IN) (TANNIN) wine compound (TANNIN).
Down:
1 Cheap (cheap = P-EACH) shot (= anagram indicator) about writing (from the 3Rs = -R-) (PREACH) in lecture (PREACH),
2 Leo is no longer in the lineout (‘Leo’ is no longer in the ‘lineout’ = inut = UNIT) for company (UNIT),
3 Silly (CHILDISH) issue? (CHILD-) His (his = -ISH) fault! (= anagram indicator) (CHILDISH),
4 Catholic dismisses a lot (‘Catholic’ dismisses ‘a lot’ = chic = CHIC) that’s in Vogue (CHIC),
5 Bass (B-) with The Libertines (-RAKES) (BRAKES) stops traffic (BRAKES),
6 Her career’s (her careers = RESEARCHER) damaged (= anagram indicator) by investigator (RESEARCHER),
7 Sign (-V- sign) in Oregon (Oregon = GO-ERNO-) used (= anagram indicator) by royal (-R) (GOVERNOR) head of state? (head of American state = GOVERNOR),
13 Canopies (FINGER FOOD) of presumably cod in batter (fish finger = FINGER FOOD),
14 Concealed by Munro carrying (concealed by ‘Munro carrying’ = nroca) back (= reversal indicator) (nroca = ACORN) fruit from the forest (ACORN),
16 Provides new space (REHOUSES) for her (her = REH-) rebellious (= reversal indicator) circle (-O-) at functions (-USES) (REHOUSES),
17 Name (IDENTITY) one (I-) key (music key -D-) creature (-ENTITY) (IDENTITY),
19 Take a shine to (POLISH) one of the buffs (POLISH),
21 Nothing (-O-) caught by agile (agile = G-ALIE) (GOALIE) member of the defence (GOALIE),
23 Probabilities (ODDS) and downside to releasing wine (‘downside’ to releasing ‘wine’ = dosd = ODDS),
24 Left (L-) for the journalist (-INK) (LINK) to make the connection (LINK).