Across:
8 Her work is bound to be read (AUTHOR) by the bookmaker (AUTHOR),
9 A (-A-) barman (-BL-) taken in by landlord’s agreement (lease = LEAS-E) (LEASABLE) is the type that’s bound to be hired (LEASABLE),
10 On the off chance both sides (‘ON the off-chanCE’ both sides = ONCE) do it without repeating it (ONCE),
11 Batter? (= anagram indicator) It’s suet but (its suet but = SUBSTITUTE) it’s a replacement! (SUBSTITUTE),
12 Leaderless (m) country (‘Malta’ without ‘m’ = ALTA-) opens railway stations (opens ‘Railway Stations’ = -RS) (ALTARS) to places of worship (ALTARS),
14 Describes Garda with blonde hair (A FAIR COP) locally – you got me there? (A FAIR COP),
15 A Bandon lover (abandon lover = LEAVE AT THE ALTAR) gets to check out (LEAVE) Matt (Matt) heading off (m) (‘Matt’ without ‘m’ = att = AT T-) with that man (-HE) and most of those in 12 across (most of ‘altars’ = ALTAR) (LEAVE AT THE ALTAR),
18 Dealer in the docks supplies (dealer in the dock’s/ships’ supplies = CHANDLER) club (C-), with stock (stock = -HANDLE-) primarily for readies (primarily for ‘Readies” = -R) (CHANDLER),
20 Frank (CANDID) and Rex not in card index (‘Rex’ not in ‘card index’ = cadind = CANDID),
22 Marshalling (= anagram indicator) Cuban riots (Cuban riots = INCUBATORS) in controlled medical environments (INCUBATORS),
24 Bond’s (bonds = WEDS) keen to take off the weekends (‘keen’ to take off the ‘weekends’ = weds = WEDS),
25 Father (REVEREND) English (-E-) getting head right (head ‘Right’ = -R-) in Denver (Denver) order (= anagram indicator) (Denver = REV-END) (REVEREND),
26 The Spanish (the = EL-) father in Rome (Pope) loses the head (p) (‘pope’ without ‘p’ = -OPE) leading strike (leading ‘Strike” = -S) (ELOPES) and, for Union reasons, splits with girlfriend (ELOPES).
Down:
1 Turns up (= reverse indicator), a fair amount of (half of) the menu (half of ‘meNU’ = nu = -UN-) during a period of abstinence (Lent = T-NEL) (TUNNEL) produced by Subway? (TUNNEL),
2 One of the loafers (SHOE) is sloshed – dropping LSD? (‘sloshed’ dropping ‘LSD’ = oshe = SHOE),
3 Protects pupil (IRIS-) going to HSE (-H SE-) for first aid? (first ‘Aid” = -A) (IRISH SEA) And, that’s between us and our neighbours! (IRISH SEA),
4 Set off from Belfast (‘set’ off from ‘Belfast’ = blfa = FLAB) with spare tyre (FLAB),
5 Straight man loses sight (‘straight man’ loses ‘sight’ = traman = MANTRA) of what gets repeated (MANTRA),
6 Overall strategy (MASTER PLAN) of Frenchman (Monsieur = M-) – a relative of Daisy’s (-ASTER) found on Trim (k) board (‘plank’ without ‘k’ = PLAN) (MASTER PLAN),
7 A huge amount (PLETHORA) in park (P-) for The (the) Boss (= anagram indicator) (the = -ETH-) the lead from Oasis (the lead from ‘Oasis’ = -O-) and Queen (Regina = -R-) in Los Angeles (LA = -L-A) (PLETHORA),
13 Relative (Da) backtracks (= reversal indicator) (Da = AD-) on financial gambles (-VENTURES) (ADVENTURES) for those looking for escapism (ADVENTURES),
14 Part of church (altar) /state (= homophone) (‘altar’ = ‘ALTER’) reform! (ALTER),
16 Sick? (= anagram indicator) And hence (and hence = ENHANCED) improved! (ENHANCED),
17 Flighty types tend to have to pay for these (EXCESSES) outrageous acts (EXCESSES),
19 In my book (LEAVES), the forecasters will read something into these (the forecasters/fortune-tellers will read something into these = LEAVES),
21 Denied (denied) out of hand? (= anagram indicator) (denied = INDEED) Really! (INDEED).
23 Ends embargo around island business (ends ‘embargO arounD islanD businesS’ = ODDS) – what’s the chances of that? (ODDS),
24 Fleeces (WOOL) for gents (loo = -OOL) and women (W-) switched (= reverse indicator) (WOOL).