Drinkers are in this state in empty town (6)
I believe the answer is:
tavern
'drinkers are in this' is the definition.
'state in empty town' is the wordplay.
'state' becomes 'aver' (both can mean to declare).
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'empty' means to remove the middle letters.
'town' with its middle removed is 'tn'.
'aver' inserted inside 'tn' is 'TAVERN'.
(Other definitions for tavern that I've seen before include "An old inn or hostelry" , "Tap house" , "Old song: 'There is a ...... in the town, in the town'" , "Tap-house" , "Old-fashioned word for pub" .)