FORMER Crown Paints boss Brian Davidson, credited with turning around the fortunes of the Darwen firm, has been brought in to run struggling gym firm Total Fitness.

Chairman Graham Hallworth and group finance director Andrew Fortune have left the company, which operates 16 health and fitness centres and has its headquarters in Handforth, near Wilmslow.

Mr Davidson, a former chief executive of Crown Paints, and Warwick Ley, a former partner at turnaround private equity specialist Endless, established RooGreen Ventures this year to provide restructuring advice to struggling businesses.

Their professional relationship dates back eight years to when they worked on the buyout and turnaround of Plaxton Coachbuilders. They teamed up again at Crown Paints, which Endless bought in 2008 from Akzo Nobel for £70m.

Mr Hallworth steered Crown Paints through the buyout and Mr Davidson joined later as CEO and steered it back to profit, before overseeing its sale in 2011 to Danish paints maker Hempel.

Mr Hallworth joined Total Fitness in September 2010 after its management team left. A spokesman for Total Fitness said: “Graham Hallworth and Andrew Fortune have left the business and Brian Davidson and Warwick Ley were appointed to the main board on December 6.

“Despite the economy, the company's performance has improved considerably over the last two years, which stands it in good stead.”

Total Fitness has gyms across the North West.