Across:
8 Less attractive (UGLIER) great (-G-) fiction (-LIE-) found in old city (Ur = U-R) (UGLIER),
9 Writing (from the 3Rs = R-) to Hector (Hector) loosely (= anagram indicator) (Hector = -HETOR-C) about current (-I-) (RHETORIC) way with words (RHETORIC),
10 Have one’s heart set on (ENVY) responsively releasing spoilers (‘responsively’ releasing ‘spoilers’ = envy = ENVY),
11 Fishy (= anagram indicator) kebab (kebab = BAKE- B-) around Dublin (-D) with starters, entrees and nutritious side (starters ‘Entrees And Nutritious Side’ = -EANS) (BAKED BEANS) dish traditionally served on toast (BAKED BEANS),
12 A general rule (canon = CAN-ON) covering new (-N-) (CANNON) equipment produced by a major employer (CANNON),
14 Bring around (CONVINCE) Clare (-CE) to finish (= positional indicator) deception (CON-) with French wine (French ‘wine’ = -VIN-) (CONVINCE),
15 Award at university (BACHELOR’S DEGREE) for single-minded people perhaps (BACHELORS) in Fahrenheit 451,for example (unit of temperature = DEGREE) (BACHELOR’S DEGREE),
18 They stop traffic (BOLLARDS) for those buried by the quayside (BOLLARDS),
20 Tar (Able-Bodied seaman = AB-) sticks on avenue (-ROAD) (ABROAD) in France, for instance (ABROAD),
22 Display of affection (KISS) for old French (Old French = OF) biography (LIFE) (KISS OF LIFE) – a revival with The 400 Blows, for instance! (KISS OF LIFE),
24 Taxi cabs of Mexico doing the rounds (‘TAxi cabs of MexiCO’ doing the rounds = TACO) in Guadalajara appreciated by the consumer (TACO),
25 Leave it – it’s not big enough presumably (BELITTLE) to slag off (BELITTLE),
26 Don’t protect (EXPOSE) former (EX-) model (-POSE) (EXPOSE).
Down:
1 Advantages releasing vast (‘advantages’ releasing ‘vast’ = adnage = AGENDA) list of items (AGENDA),
2 State ground is not used in cottage industry (‘state ground’ is not used in/not in ‘cottage industry’ = ctiy = CITY) in New York (CITY),
3 What Baker created (-BUN-) in case (TRI-AL) (TRIBUNAL) set-up by government in questioning environment (TRIBUNAL),
4 Trackers lose cars (‘trackers’ lose ‘cars’ = tker = TREK) in a long arduous journey (TREK),
5 Leggy type (TENDON) upsets (= reversal indicator) Bob (nod = -DON) Hook? (hook/net = TEN-) (TENDON),
6 Is on hand (FOREFINGER) offering, of course, warning (FORE- warning on golf course) to fringe (fringe) movement (= anagram indicator) (fringe = -FINGER) (FOREFINGER),
7 Knocks back (= reversal indicator) fizz (elan = NA-LE) – swallowing cold (-C-) quick drink (nip = PIN-) (PINNACLE) is always a highpoint (PINNACLE),
13 Rejects all moral and religious principles (NIHILISTIC) in (in) bringing up (= reversal indicator) (in = NI-) his (his) brief (s) (‘his’ without ‘s’ = -HI-) record (-LIST-) in charge (in charge = -IC) (NIHILISTIC),
14 Public relations officer (Public Relations Officer = PRO) takes a turn (= reversal indicator) (PRO = -ORP-) in civil service (C-S) (CORPS) unit (CORPS),
16 Oriental (East = -E-) consumed by revolutionary (= anagram indicator) Maoists (Maoists = ATOMIS-S) (ATOMISES) releases chemical spray (ATOMISES)
17 Dear me – it (dear me it) confused (= anagram indicator) (dear me it = DIAMETER) part of The Circle (DIAMETER),
19 Drive a coach and horses through (REFUTE) iron (Fe) dug up (= reverse indicator) (Fe = -EF-) in Russia (RU = R-U-) on the banks of Tosna in Otradnoye (on the banks of ‘Tosna in otradnoyE’ = -TE) (REFUTE),
21 Hold responsible (ACCUSE) for head of cauliflower (head of ‘Cauliflower’ = -C-) found in sauce (sauce = AC-USE) mix (= anagram indicator) (ACCUSE),
23 Acts the goat presumably (IBEX) in team (XI) coming back (= reverse indicator) (XI = I-X) around Belgium (-BE-) (IBEX),
24 Hypnotist dismisses hints (‘hypnotist’ dismisses ‘hints’ = ypot = TYPO) as a mistake in The Paper (TYPO).