The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word BARFLY
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
B
A
R
F
L
Y
More clues leading to the result BARFLY
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Enthusiastic patron of local" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case enthusiastic patron of local = barfly.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does BARFLY mean?
BARFLY noun- A person who spends much time in a bar or similar drinking establishment