Persists in taking a girl round the West End (5)
I believe the answer is:
lasts
'persists in' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are verbs in their -s form, I can't see how they can define each other.
'a girl round the west end' is the wordplay.
'a girl' becomes 'lass' (lass is a kind of girl**).
'round' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'end' indicates one should take the final letters.
The final letter of 'west' is 't'.
'lass' placed around 't' is 'LASTS'.
'taking' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for lasts that I've seen before include "Goes on" , "Keeps on" , "carries on" , "Cobblers' tools" , "Holds out" .)