Across:
8 Similar to 24 across (ALE- is similar to ‘beer’) having father (parish priest = -PP-) from Oxford (-O) (ALEPPO), a city with Syrians spending pounds? (ALEPPO in Syria / currency is the Syrian Pound),
9 Precious type (ADORABLE) of hammer (= anagram indicator) or a blade (or a blade = ADORABLE),
10 Fragment of dispatch is statesman-like (Fragment of ‘dispatcH IS Statesman-like’ = HISS) or so I heard at meeting of COBRA? (HISS),
11 Relative (son) coming back (= reverse indicator) (son = NO S-) from Switzerland (-CH) after (= position indicator) university (-U-) to observe (look) state? (= homophone indicator) (‘look’ = ‘LUCK’) (NO SUCH LUCK), Unfortunately, that’s not the case! (NO SUCH LUCK),
12 Detective (D-I) admits sorting out (= anagram indicator) help (help = -ELPH-) (DELPHI) in old informant’s place? (DELPHI oracle),
14 In a gas way, this scientist has a number (Amedeo Avogadro and Avogadro’s number = 6.02214076×10 to the power of 23 = AVOGADRO) that sounds a lot like an avocado? (‘avocado’ sounds a lot like AVOGADRO),
15 Takes head off writer (PENCIL SHARPENER) for making a point (PENCIL SHARPENER),
18 Those pointing fingers at other types (ACCUSERS) of coppers (CUs = -CUS-) hiding in shrubs (AC-ERS) (ACCUSERS),
20 Drunk (= anagram indicator) savant (savant = SAT NAV) is the talk of the town on TripAdvisor? (SAT NAV),
22 Sets off in pursuit of (GIVES CHASE) Grant’s (grants = GIVES) endless (r) drink after a shot (chaser) (‘chaser’ without ‘r’ = CHASE) (GIVES CHASE),
24 Drink (BEER) for sides on bench? Water! (sides on the ‘BEnch watER’ = BEER),
25 Arraign a (arraign a) criminal (= anagram indicator) (arraign a = AGRARIAN) in relation to the cultivated land (AGRARIAN),
26 Reason (SANITY) there’s no dove in video nasty (there’s no ‘dove’ in ‘video nasty’ = inasty = SANITY).
Down:
1 PI (P-I-) in Chantilly (Chantilly -LA-CE) (PLAICE) taken captive by one dropping a line (PLAICE taken captive by angler),
2 House painters tied up (= reverse indicator) (‘houSE PAinters’ tied up = sepa = APES) and typically confined to beastly accommodation (APES),
3 County (DOWN) close to terrace in Croke Park (-HILL) (DOWNHILL) – the one with the slope (DOWNHILL),
4 Broad inlets (BAYS) and banks in Bantry nowadays (banks in ‘BAntry nowadaYS’ = BAYS),
5 Unfinished (d) pool (‘pond’ without ‘d’ = PON-) fairly (half of) selected (chosen) (half of ‘CHOsen’ = -CHO) (PONCHO) in The Cape? (PONCHO),
6 Mother (PAR-ENT) admits taking post (mail) up (= reversal indicator) (mail = -LIAM-) (PARLIAMENT) in the house (PARLIAMENT),
7 With this, one can pick and choose fare (with this, one can pick and choose fare /food = A LA CARTE) at the last minute (LA -TE) around California? (CA-) That’s right! (-R-) (A LA CARTE),
13 Gainsborough (Gainsborough hat = PICTURE HAT) shot (PICTURE) with loathing (hate), for the most part (e) (‘hate’ without ‘e’ = HAT) (PICTURE HAT),
14 Is unable to wait for (ACHES for) handicap (= anagram indicator) chase (chase = ACHES),
16 Artistic impressions (ETCHINGS) get chins (get chins) wrong (= anagram indicator) (get chins = ETCHINGS),
17 Chill (REST EASY) drinks (teas = -T EAS-) after (= position indicator) short (t) time out (rest) (‘rest’ without ‘t’ = RES-) at the end of the day (end of the ‘daY’ = -Y) (REST EASY),
19 Community (European Union = EU-) police department (Criminal Investigation Department = CID = -C-ID) arrest lecturer (-L-) (EUCLID), famous among students of mathematics (EUCLID),
21 Evangelist abandons evil (‘evangelist’ abandons ‘evil’ = angest = AGENTS) business managers (AGENTS),
23 Spots (ACNE) revolutionary (= reversal indicator) in Chechen capital (in ‘chechEN CApital’ = enca = ACNE),
24 Beatniks with no ties (‘beatniks’ with no ‘ties’ = bank = BANK) to The Fringe (fringe/side = BANK).