Area up front usually needs to house fruit machine (9)
I believe the answer is:
automaton
'machine' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'area up front usually needs to house fruit' is the wordplay.
'area' becomes 'a' (maths abbreviation).
'up front' indicates taking the first letters (the letter at the front of the word).
'to house' is an insertion indicator.
'fruit' becomes 'tomato' (type of fruit).
The first letters of 'usually needs' is 'un'.
'un' placed around 'tomato' is 'utomaton'.
'a'+'utomaton'='AUTOMATON'
(Other definitions for automaton that I've seen before include "working robot" , "variety of android" , "One doesn't think" , "Amount to a (anag) - robot" , "Zombie" .)