Tripe small number in Essex noshed regularly (8)
I believe the answer is:
nonsense
'tripe' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'small number in essex noshed regularly' is the wordplay.
'small number' becomes 'no' (abbreviation; 'small' indicates a short form).
'regularly' means one should take alternating letters (regularly take one letter, leave next etc.).
'in'+'essex'+'noshed'='inessexnoshed'
The alternate letters of 'inessexnoshed' are 'nsense'.
'no'+'nsense'='NONSENSE'
(Other definitions for nonsense that I've seen before include "Codswallop, hooey" , "Bilge, drivel" , "Rubbish, foolish talk" , "Boloney, tosh" , "Having no intelligible meaning" .)