Across:
8 Those nice types (those Nice/French types = FRENCH) of characters opening 22 across (‘French maid’ = FRENCH),
9 A (A-) bad start (‘bad’ start =-B-) is typical (-NORMAL) (ABNORMAL) of eccentric (ABNORMAL),
10 Big swallow (GULP) around (= reversal indicator) Cork (cork/plug = GULP),
11 Swap (TRADE) marriage (UNION) (TRADE UNION) for the workingmen’s club (TRADE UNION),
12 Suspend (HANG-) headless (p) boxer (‘pup’ without ‘ p’ = -UP) (HANG-UP) – he has a chip on his shoulder (HANG-UP),
14 They secure the gate (WATCHMEN) by playing (= anagram indicator) match (match = -ATCHM-) in recently developed (new) set-up (= reversal indicator) (new = W-EN) (WATCHMEN),
15 Starts 22 across (“French maid” = FRENCH) for American neighbours (CANADIANS) (FRENCH CANADIANS) – the ones with European ties (FRENCH CANADIANS),
18 Keeps an eye on (OVERSEES) old (O-) father (Rev) upsetting (= reversal indicator) (Rev = -VER-) bishoprics (-SEES) (OVERSEES),
20 Toffee (toffee = TEE OFF) fudge? (= anagram indicator) Of course, it’s only for starters! (TEE OFF),
22 Charm fiend (charm fiend = FRENCH MAID), criminal (= anagram indicator) and type in a saucy outfit (FRENCH MAID),
24 Those around the borders to come home (those around the borders ‘to come home’ = TOME) for the publication (TOME),
25 Opens like a shot (opens ‘like a shot’ = -LAS) after (= positional indicator) quite (quite = TEQUI-) different (= anagram indicator) (TEQUILAS) drinks (TEQUILAS),
26 Most of the (most of ‘the’ = TH-) regiment (-R-) is not well (-ILL) (THRILL) in Rush (rush/buzz = THRILL).
Down:
1 Crafty type (art = TRA-) retires (= reversal indicator) from Russian body (Duma) – losing a leader (d) (‘Duma’ losing ‘d’ = -UMA) (TRAUMA) comes as a shock (TRAUMA),
2 Clip (SNIP) of Bolt’s (pins = SNIP) retirement (= reversal indicator),
3 Shelter (-HUT-) in Czech Republic (C-Z-) by chance (hap) set up (= reversal indicator) (hap = -PAH) (CHUTZPAH) by audacious, shameless type (CHUTZPAH),
4 Sold out of Calvados (‘sold’ out of ‘Calvados’ = cava = CAVA) and Spanish wine (CAVA),
5 Trouble (UNREST) in organisation (UN-) getting time off (-REST) (UNREST),
6 In a manner of speaking (FRENCH), victory (WIN-) by England (-E) (FRENCH WINE) in red and white in Bordeaux (FRENCH WINE),
7 Negative response (N-O-) about a (-A-) European (-POLE-) leading negotiation (leading ‘negotiation’ = -N) (NAPOLEON) hailed by the French (NAPOLEON),
13 Bunch of hoodlums (GANG-) in Nevada (-RENO- is in Nevada), America (-US) (GANGRENOUS), produced something that’s infectious and potentially mortifying (GANGRENOUS),
14 Goes back (= reversal indicator) to prepare for fight (spar = -RAPS) with lead (‘with’ lead = W-) (WRAPS) as the film ends (WRAPS),
16 Flower (flower = RIVER-) in the garden (-BED) (RIVERBED) from the lowest part of The Shannon (RIVERBED),
17 First (A-) short record (-N-OTE) about rebellious (= reversal indicator) college (Dublin Institute of Technology = DIT = -TID-) (ANTIDOTE) produced by The Cure (ANTIDOTE),
19 Don’t hold your breath (EXHALE), as former partner (EX-) is on heroin (-H-) and taking drink (-ALE) (EXHALE),
21 Sent off manifestly (‘sent’ off ‘manifestly’ = maifly = FAMILY) by one’s own flesh and blood (= FAMILY),
23 Apostle dismisses Lot (‘Apostle’ dismisses ‘Lot’ = apse = APSE) and section of The Church (APSE),
24 Some quartermaster’s (some ‘quartermasters’ = TERM) prison sentence (TERM).