Across:
8 Conservatives dismiss soviets (‘Conservatives’ dismiss ‘soviets’ = cnrave = CAVERN) in The Chamber (CAVERN),
9 One of the heroes (IDOL-) getting a (-A-) score (-TRY) (IDOLATRY)? The church warns against this sort of behaviour! (IDOLATRY),
10 Creepy sort (VINE) could be capable of sour grapes (VINE),
11 Just before closing time (LAST MOMENT), isn’t the first (isn’t the first = LAST) Frenchman (Monsieur = -M-) interrupting Monet (Monet – MO-ENT) drunk? (= anagram indicator) (LAST MOMENT),
12 Remove pot from speedboat (remove ‘pot’ from ‘speedboat’ = srrdba = SEABED) or ocean liner? (SEABED),
14 Fine wool (CASHMERE) from state (= homophone indicator) on Indian and Chinese border (“Kashmir” = “CASHMERE”),
15 Night out for the men (STAG-) from Spain (-E) having a number of courses (DIRECTIONS) (STAGE DIRECTIONS) to follow in the field, for example (in John B Keane’s The Field = STAGE DIRECTIONS),
18 Veteran (veteran = REN-VATE) model (= anagram indicator) outside Ring (-O-) (RENOVATE) to get a facelift (RENOVATE),
20 They stand up for the artists (EASELS) in the studio (EASELS),
22 Opening toast (opening ‘toast’ = T-) with Ruth’s (-RUTH-S-) Oriental (east = -E-) spirit (-RUM) (TRUTH SERUM) – that’ll sincerely get them talking (TRUTH SERUM),
24 Could be a place of interest (BANK) in suburban kingdom (in “suburban kingdom” = BANK),
25 Caught (C-) Michael (Michael = -HEMICAL) mixing (= anagram indicator) (CHEMICAL) drug (CHEMICAL),
26 Held in court (RACKET held in tennis court) for disturbing the peace (RACKET).
Down:
1 Lampoon (SATIRE) teacher (S-IR-) over a (-A-) primary text (primary ‘text’ = -T-) at the beginning of essay (at the beginning of ‘essay’ = -E) (SATIRE),
2 Some cliché repeated (some ‘cliché repeated’ = HERE) in this place (HERE),
3 Took into consideration (INCLUDED) as uncle did (uncle did = INCLUDED) badly (= anagram indicator),
4 Mental acuity (WITS) and limits to William Butler Yeats (limits to ‘William Butler Yeats’ = WITS),
5 Daisy’s relative (COSMOS) produced firm’s (COs = COS-) money orders (money orders = MOs = -MOS) (COSMOS),
6 General recollections (army general recollections = WAR MEMOIRS) in the words of a number of people who witnessed the fight (WAR MEMOIRS),
7 Burst of speed (sprint) starting off (s) (‘sprint’ without ‘s’ = PRINT) marathon (RUN) (PRINT RUN) – is that an issue for the paper? (PRINT RUN),
13 Megabits of (megabits of = BAGS OF TIME) code (= anagram indicator) for those in no hurry (BAGS OF TIME),
14 College (C-) pool (purse) fails to open (p) (‘purse’ without ‘p’ = -URSE) (CURSE) for a spell (CURSE),
16 Godlike rule (THEARCHY) by those people (THE-Y) over a (-A-) church (Roman Catholic church = -RC-) with foremost heretic (foremost ‘heretic’ = -H-) (THEARCHY),
17 Do the people running this firm have a cheese board (CREAMERY) and food processor? (CREAMERY),
19 Most of (k) the dry white wine historically (‘sack’ without ‘k’ = -SAC-) in drink (AL-E) (ALSACE) from French region (ALSACE),
21 Hang on? (LINGER) This is fishy (LING-) to one of those in hospital! (-ER) (LINGER),
23 Roulette ball limits (limits/sides of ‘roulette ball’ = ROLL) circular movement (ROLL),
24 Support (BACK) for one of those playing the game (BACK).