Some characters moving a table outside pub (8)
I believe the answer is:
alphabet
'some characters' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'moving a table outside pub' is the wordplay.
'moving' indicates anagramming the letters.
'outside' indicates putting letters inside.
'pub' becomes 'ph' (public house).
'a'+'table'='atable'
'atable' anagrammed gives 'alabet'.
'alabet' placed around 'ph' is 'ALPHABET'.
(Other definitions for alphabet that I've seen before include "Ordered set of letters" , "needing help on mountain height" , "A set of language letters" , "ABC" , "Group of characters" .)