Group of shops around a place keeping the faith in the units (8)
I believe the answer is:
chaplain
'the faith in the units' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.
'group of shops around a place' is the wordplay.
'group of shops' becomes 'chain' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'around' indicates putting letters inside.
'place' becomes 'pl' (I've seen this in other clues).
'a'+'pl'='apl'
'chain' enclosing 'apl' is 'CHAPLAIN'.
'keeping' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for chaplain that I've seen before include "Religious minister assigned to an organisation" , "'Member of the clergy, in a hospital, say (8)'" , "Christian clergyman attached to an institution, military body etc" , "man of the cloth" , "Member of clergy ministering to an organisation" .)