Friend caught in trap with crack in brash pub (3,6)
I believe the answer is:
gin palace
'brash pub' is the definition.
The definition suggests a singular noun which matches the answer.
'friend caught in trap with crack' is the wordplay.
'friend' becomes 'pal' (pal can mean a friend).
'caught in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'trap with' becomes 'gin' (gin trap is a kind of animal trap. I am not sure about the 'with' bit.).
'crack' becomes 'ace' (I've seen this before).
'gin'+'ace'='ginace'
'pal' put inside 'ginace' is 'GIN PALACE'.
'in' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for gin palace that I've seen before include "drinking den" , "Flash pub (slang)" , "gaudy drinking-house" , "Former drinking house" .)