BARMY council chiefs banned cabbie Laurence Kirk from working – because he can’t use apostrophes.
The married dad of two, 50, failed a grammar exam he had to take before he could apply for a private hire licence.
It is meant to weed out foreign drivers who can’t speak English.
Those who pass then take a BTEC taxi exam.
Laurence, whose cabbie licence from six years ago had expired, was quizzed about apostrophes in a story on FOOTBALL.
But he only got 60 per cent of the questions correct – and a pass was 70.
Stunned Laurence said: “When I got my licence six years ago I filled in some forms, had a medical and a driving test to prove I knew the area and they passed me.”
He said the new rules of Bournemouth Council, in Dorset, were “barmy”, adding: “No one has asked me if I know Bournemouth or what I would do if approached by a drunk person – just where to put an apostrophe.”
Laurence, from Poole, must go on a GCSE English course before he can reapply.
Last night council licensing chief Steve Wright defended the test, saying it “allows us to assess candidates’ abilities”.
