ONE of Saints’ star strikers has been re-bailed following a mass brawl in a city bar.

Lee Barnard yesterday answered bail and, after he was questioned by police officers in connection with an alleged assault at the White House in Above Bar in Southampton, told to return later this month.

The 26-year-old was arrested on suspicion of assault, along with three other men, aged 31, 26 and 25 following trouble at the venue on October 3.

All four men were bailed until yesterday and after being questioned, were all re-bailed until December 22.

Following the incident, Mr Barnard was taken to hospital for treatment on a hand injury, which has remained bandaged ever since.

Police described the event as a “volatile and intimidating” major public order incident, which required an emergency response from every single available unit in the city.

As reported in yesterday’s Daily Echo, the White House is now subject of a bid by police to be shut down.

Officers have submitted a report to the council’s licensing committee recommending that the venue have its licence revoked.

However, bosses at the bar have defended their record, with the October incident being the only flashpoint in the last four months.

Rich Gilbert, owner of the White House, said: “We will be refuting some of the allegations made in the report because we believe them to be untrue.

We believe that the incident in October has been massively exaggerated within the report issued to councillors.

“Since the incident I decided that in the interests of the business I would replace the old management and we now have new management running the venue.

“Since then we have had a brilliant record with the police, it has been running very smoothly and they are very happy with us.”

The report will go before councillors – who will decide on the fate of the bar – on Thursday.

At a previous hearing in August, councillors were told of a number of areas of concern police had about the venue, such as drug use, underage drinking and the level of drunkenness of people leaving the bar.

However, it was decided the White House management had taken a number of key steps to address the issues and improve safety at the nightspot.

By meeting the strict restrictions imposed by police, the committee decided the White House could keep its licence.