This week, it was the turn of another embattled department store to hit the headlines. On Tuesday, Debenhams issued its third profit warning of the year, whilst House of Fraser's fate was finally sealed on Friday with creditors giving the green light to its company voluntary arrangement (CVA) proposals, which will involve closing 31 of its 59 stores. Yet, whilst the slow demise of these legacy department stores is painful to watch it isn't all doom and gloom. World Cup fever means the nation's bars and clubs are doing a roaring trade (as long as they don't run out of bubbles, that is!), and there are success stories too. Only this Friday, the London Cocktail Club announced that it will be opening its first venue outside of the capital, opting for a 2,000 sq ft bar in Bristol's Clifton Triangle. The website promises a bar that parties like the best of them, mixes the world's greatest drinks to perfection and invites you to dance on the tables listening to AC/DC. Now that sounds like a place to lift your spirits!

The Weekly visited the MK Dons Stadium this week. And whilst we arrived ready to offer useful tips and advice to the struggling football team (relegated to League Two at the end of the 2017/2018 season), the focus of the visit was the Built Environment Networking Economic Growth Conference on the Oxford-Cambridge Corridor. An impressive selection of keynote speakers and panellists reviewed everything from industrial strategy, infrastructure, housing and skills to determine what strategies are required to deliver inclusive economic growth to this strategic knowledge corridor. Perhaps most compelling, however, was the sense that all the parties are already working collectively to produce a clear articulated strategy for this hi-tech "Super Cluster" of business, science and ideas which will allow the corridor to be branded on an international stage. Book-ended by two world-leading universities, close to London and "the Midlands Engine", and home to some of the UK's most innovative companies and talented individuals, there is a powerful and ambitious vision for the corridor.

England's cricketers were busy breaking records this week. Down at Taunton, Heather Knight's team smashed the women's Twenty20 international batting record, amassing 250 for 3 against South Africa, and also set the record for the highest winning margin (121 runs). Not to be outdone, England's men were busy dispatching the ball to all corners of the ground in their One Day International against the Aussies at Trent Bridge. In a devastating display led by Alex Hales (147), Johnny Bairstow (139), Jason Roy (82) and Eoin Morgan (67) - who also scored the fastest half century in ODI history - England scored 481 for 6, the highest ODI score ever. Yet, just as England have been busy banishing the memories of the Ashes whitewash, some players and commentators have questioned whether the one-day game is too heavily weighted in favour of the batsmen. Not only are today's bowlers faced with uber-confident batsman armed with blades that look more like clubs, they also have to contend with short boundaries and flat pitches, whilst the fielding restrictions only ever allow a maximum of five men to patrol the boundary. As James Anderson lamented, "I can't remember half of the sixes that were hit at Trent Bridge. It just becomes a blur. If the bowler bowled straight today, he was going to get hit for six." Deep down, The Weekly has some sympathy for the bowlers and cricketing purists who want to see the balance re-addressed. But whilst we are busy dismembering the Australian bowling attack in our own backyard, we are happy to put these "technical" questions aside for the time being. Here's all 21 of England's sixes for you to savour...again and again!