TWO of JD Sports’ high street locations are set to close this week.

The sportswear retailer is scrapping its Hip stores, with the two sites preparing to shut up shop for good.

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JD Sports is closing its Hip stores Credit: Getty

The brand owns Hip sites in Leeds and Manchester Credit: HIP

JD Sports acquired the Hip brand in 2014, with just two shops located in Manchester and Leeds.

The Manchester Hip branch will close down on June 28, with the Leeds site expected to follow suit by the end of the month, according to Drapers.

The Leeds store is located on the Yorkshire city’s Vicar Lane, while the Manchester shop sits on Thomas Street.

Despite its departure from the high street, Hip is set to continue to trade online via its website.

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It comes after JD Sports was forced to closed 24 UK stores earlier this year due to financial uncertainty.

JD Sports operates over 4,000 stores worldwide and recently reported a drop in annual earnings.

The brand explained that it had concerns that tensions in the Middle East could mean higher costs and decreased customer interest.

However it said that there had been no “direct exposure” – just “heightened uncertainty”.

The business shared plans to cut down on bricks-and-mortar sites in order to have “fewer, bigger and better” shops.

Speaking to Manchester Evening News in May, JD said: “Over time, the potential future impacts of heightened uncertainty may contribute to direct cost pressures, including energy and fuel costs across our store and logistics networks, respectively, as well as potential indirect impacts on pricing and consumer demand should input cost inflation emerge.”