Crossword Genius

Good place to spend half an hour amid companions (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

church

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'good place to spend' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.

'half an hour amid companions' is the wordplay.
'half' indicates taking half.
'an hour' becomes 'hr' (abbreviation).
'amid' indicates putting letters inside.
'companions' becomes 'curch' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'hr' with half the letters taken is 'h'.
'h' going inside 'curch' is 'CHURCH'.

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(Other definitions for church that I've seen before include "fold" , "Building for religious worship" , "Holy establishment" , "Place for public worship" , "Ecclesiastical building" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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