The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word URBANITE
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
U
R
B
A
N
I
T
E
Buddy explains!

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 URBANITE mean?
URBANITE noun- Someone who lives in a city or similar urban area.
- One of a demographic class of young, socially-conscious, urban professionals.
- Rock-like recycled building material from man-made sources.