Across:
8 Post (post/pillar = COLUMN) at the end of 15 across (at the end of ‘newspaper column’ = COLUMN),
9 One is not getting paid in The Office (HONORARY) to surprise (HO-) and wind-up (= reverse indicator) Ronald (Ron = -NOR-), Ray (ray = -ARY), Rocky (= anagram indicator) (HONORARY),
10 A jar (ajar = OPEN) at the beginning of 11 across (beginning of ‘open-minded’ = OPEN),
11 Willing to listen (OPEN-MINDED) to Frank (OPEN-) and Old Penny (-D-) dressed-up (= reversal indicator) in denim (denim = MIN-ED) (OPEN-MINDED),
12 No toilets in petrol station (no ‘toilets’ in ‘petrol station’ = prtaon = PATRON) for the customer (PATRON),
14 Fast, vile (fast vile) boss (= anagram indicator) (fast vile = FESTIVAL) in Fiesta (fiesta = FESTIVAL),
15 A feature (NEWSPAPER COLUMN) of guardian (Guardian NEWSPAPER) offering support (support/pillar = COLUMN) (NEWSPAPER COLUMN),
18 Has a partner (ATTACHED) working in the embassy (attaché = ATTACHE-) for US Democrat (-D) (ATTACHED),
20 There’s no acai in Saint Lucia (there’s no ‘acai’ in ‘Saint Lucia’ = sintlu = INSULT) to put down locally? (put down = INSULT),
22 Call Duce (call duce) out (= anagram indicator) (call duce = CALCUL-ED) over a (-A-) transgression – primarily (t) (‘Transgression’ primarily = -T-) (CALCULATED) it’s deliberate (CALCULATED),
24 Some sales order (some ‘salES ORder’ = esor) sent back (= reverse indicator) (esor = ROSE) with what’s sold in the wine bar (ROSE),
25 New (= anagram indicator) cadet (cadet – AC-TED) taking in Clare (-CE-) port (-P-) (ACCEPTED) is welcomed (ACCEPTED),
26 In order to ignore Ron (‘in order to’ ignore ‘Ron’ = iordet = EDITOR) having a say in how 15 across is cut (having a say in how ‘newspaper column’ is cut = EDITOR).
Down:
1 Local criminal (hood) isn’t finished (d) (‘hood’ without ‘d’ = HOO-) putting pressure (-P-) on American city (-LA) (HOOPLA) producing unnecessary fuss (HOOPLA),
2 Snake (TURN) in square (T- square) pot (-URN) (TURN),
3 What definitely affects the retirement plan (INSOMNIA) will keep you up all night (INSOMNIA),
4 Get lost (shoo) on satnav (= homophone indicator) (‘shoo’ = ‘SHOE’) coming from old woman’s accommodation (The Old Woman who lived in a SHOE),
5 Uplifting (= reverse indicator) ballad (song = GNO-S) about last letters from Eve (last letters ‘froM evE’ = -ME-) (GNOMES) and figures from The Garden (GNOMES),
6 Royals (princes = PRINC-ES) welcome address (-IP- address) with 50 (Roman 50 = -L-) (PRINCIPLES) rules to guarantee The Good Life? (PRINCIPLES),
7 Holly (TREE) is not close (FAR-) to Mike (-M) (TREE FARM) in the nursery (TREE FARM),
13 Her career’s (her careers) wasted (= anagram indicator) (her careers = RESEARCHER) as an investigator (RESEARCHER),
14 Speciality (FIELD) that is (i.e. = -IE-) in Florida (FL = F-L-) Key? (music key -D) (FIELD),
16 Workers (men) heading off (m) (‘men’ without ‘m’ = EN-) for what sounds like (= homophone indicator) days (‘days’ = ‘daze’ = -TRANCE) (ENTRANCE) to lobby (lobby/way in = ENTRANCE)
17 An issue (CHILDREN) for those going back to school (CHILDREN),
19 Classy spartan types (serfs in Sparta = HELOTS) mostly (n) ripped off (stolen) back (= reverse indicator) (‘stolen’ without ‘n’ = stole = -ELOTS) at hotel (H-) (HELOTS),
21 Warning (LESSON) – Takeaway (LESS-) near Ring (-O-) is closing soon (closing ‘sooN’ = -N) (LESSON),
23 Ross gets off steroids (‘Ross’ gets off ‘steroids’ = teid = TIDE) – the current trend suggesting it has a yo-yo effect (yo-yo effect = TIDE),
24 Financial disaster (RUIN) up (= reverse indicator) north (Northern Ireland = NI = -IN) for old city (UR = RU-) (RUIN).