Red stuff beginning to cover area in two taverns (8)
I believe the answer is:
cinnabar
'red' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'beginning to cover area in two taverns' is the wordplay.
'two taverns' means two replacements for 'tavern'.
'beginning to' says to take the initial letters.
'area' becomes 'a' (maths abbreviation).
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'tavern' becomes 'inn' (I've seen this before).
'tavern' becomes 'bar' (I've seen this before).
The initial letter of 'cover' is 'c'.
'inn'+'bar'='innbar'
'a' going within 'innbar' is 'innabar'.
'c'+'innabar'='CINNABAR'
'stuff' acts as a link.
This may not be right. It may be part of another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for cinnabar that I've seen before include "Bright red mineral containing mercury" , "Heavy red mineral containing mercury" , "Red mercury sulphide" , "Brian can make vermilion pigment" .)