What occupies a scoundrel in pub? (8)
I believe the answer is:
alehouse
'pub?' is the definition.
(alehouse is a kind of pub)
'what occupies a scoundrel' is the wordplay.
'what' becomes 'eh' (sound used to ask 'what?' or 'pardon?').
'occupies' means one lot of letters goes inside another (inserted letters occupy or enter the word).
'scoundrel' becomes 'louse' (I've seen this in another clue).
'a'+'louse'='alouse'
'eh' going inside 'alouse' is 'ALEHOUSE'.
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for alehouse that I've seen before include "Old pub" , "drinks here?" , "Hostelry (of old)" , "the nineteenth?" , "old tavern" .)