Across:
8 Chaos (MAYHEM) after April (MAY- is after April) is stitched up (-HEM) (MAYHEM),
9 Rugby players (props = PROP-S-) grasping nothing (-O-) on a (-O-) large (-L) (PROPOSAL) pitch? (pitch/tender = PROPOSAL),
10 Utter (= homophone indicator) plain (plain/flat land = ‘steppe’ = ‘STEP’) dance movement (STEP),
11 What you might say to someone who wants a lift? (GET IN) To begin with (FIRST) (GET IN FIRST), don’t settle for a second on Day One! (GET IN FIRST),
12 Serves up (= reversal indicator) the foreign (‘the’ foreign = la = -AL) beer (brew) endlessly (w) (‘brew’ without ‘w’ = bre = -ERB-) from the very start (‘Very’ start = V-) (VERBAL) of speech (VERBAL),
14 Politicians release top (‘politicians’ release ‘top’ = liicians = SICILIAN) Mafiosi from Palermo, for instance (SICILIAN),
15 Moving (ELECTRIC) clip of (m) Tom (Tom) (‘Tom’ without ‘m’ = TO-) and Daisy’s relative (-ASTER) (ELECTRIC TOASTER) employed in pop-up restaurant kitchen by those producing breakfast menu (ELECTRIC TOASTER),
18 Shepherd’s (shepherds/guides = MARSHALS) sheep (ram) up (= reversal indicator) (ram = MAR-) on sedimentary rock (shale) curtailed (e) (‘shale’ without ‘e’ = -SHAL-) by Sierra (-S-) (MARSHALS),
20 There’s no acai in Saint Lucia (there’s no ‘acai’ in ‘Saint Lucia’ = sintlu = INSULT) to put down locally? (‘put down’ locally = INSULT),
22 Guide (CHART-) To Go Green (re use = -REUSE) (CHARTREUSE) – presumably you’d get that in a bar in Grenoble (CHARTREUSE originally, drink from Grenoble),
24 Offer support (BACK) to Barbara Stanwyck from the wings (‘BArbara stanwyCK’ from the wings = BACK),
25 Holiday (break) report (= homophone indicator) (‘break’ = ‘brake’ = BRAKE) by the writer (PAD) (BRAKE PAD) will help one to slow down (BRAKE PAD),
26 Organic (INNATE) gastropub (INN-) starters for a trendy evening (starters for ‘A Trendy Evening’ = -ATE) (INNATE).
Down:
1 Struggle (BATTLE) opening bottle (opening 'Bottle' = B-) for teetotaller (-TT-) surrounded by drink (ale = -A-LE) (BATTLE),
2 Shared ownership of banks (‘SHared ownershIP’ of banks/sides = SHIP) and society (S-) that’s trendy (-HIP) (SHIP),
3 Figure running import business (runner = SMUGGLER) is the one refusing to comply with the State’s customs? (SMUGGLER),
4 Catch sight of (SPOT) The Borders’ tourist traps (the borders ‘TOurist traPS’ = tops) coming back (= reversal indicator) (tops = SPOT),
5 On reflection (= reversal indicator), is able (can = -NAC) to go (go = -OG-) to clubs (C-) (COGNAC) drunk in France (COGNAC),
6 Ship (S-S) contains old (-O-) agent’s (agents = -CIA-) log (-LIST-) (SOCIALISTS) produced by those who have left politics with views that aren’t right (SOCIALISTS),
7 It’s not a good country (BAD STATE) to be in if you’re in poor health (BAD STATE),
13 It’s required to travel overseas (BACKSTROKE) with 24 across (‘back’ = BACK-) getting shot of course? (shot on golf course = -STROKE) (BACKSTROKE),
14 Upsetting (= reverse indicator) part of the mask costume (part of the ‘maSK COStume’ = skcos = SOCKS) and foot warmers (SOCKS),
16 A shelter (a shelter) compromised (= anagram indicator) (a shelter = LEATHERS) by Hell’s Angels outfit? (LEATHERS),
17 As it happens (-LIVE), Oscar (O-) is in Greece (Greece) reporting (= homophone indicator) (‘Greece’ = ‘grease’ = oil = O- -IL) (OLIVE OIL) to a crude type that’s always pressed (OLIVE OIL),
19 Short, crisp style (ABRUPT) of alcohol primarily (‘Alcohol’ primarily = A-) from dry wine (brut = -BRU-T) including Port (-P-) (ABRUPT),
21 Track down (LOCATE) talent scout dismissing stunt (‘talent scout’ dismissing ‘stunt’ = taleco = LOCATE),
23 Subvert (UNDO) a foreign (‘a’ foreign/French = UN-) party (-DO) (UNDO),
24 Supporting Elbow, for example (BONE), performing (-ON-) in Belgium (Be = B-E) (BONE).