Lola’s, the Freo Pizza Joint From the Peggy’s Duo, Has Quietly Closed

Harriet Roxburgh and Harry Peasnell, the pair behind sandwich shop Peggy’s and pizza parlour Lola’s, are responsible for some of the best carbs in Freo. Last week, they announced a series of changes – including shutting Lola’s – which are designed to prioritise the welfare of their team.

The team announced, in a statement posted to Instagram last week, “After years of running seven days a week, Peggy’s is shifting focus to balance – both for our team and our family, with a new little one arriving soon. [At Peggy’s] we’ll be open Thursday to Monday (closed Tuesdays [and] Wednesdays) to prioritize quality over quantity, in both time and product.

“This means we can bring back old favourites – house-baked pastries, doughnuts, and different breads – while still serving the classics you love. It also means our team gets the well-deserved break that hospitality often overlooks, allowing us to create better, more considered specials on weekends.

“We also want to acknowledge the difficult decision to close Lola’s,” the pair said of their much-loved family pizza joint which opened in September 2023 and quickly entered the hearts of locals with old-school slices and slow-fermented dough.

Its loss will be deeply felt, but the team is “already planning a return – something new, with the same heart, values, and dedication to quality ingredients at a sustainable price.”

“It’s no secret that running a small business right now is tough,” the statement continues. “Rising costs, big corporations pushing out small operators, and the ever-growing challenges of keeping food affordable – it’s all real.”

The team is being transparent about hard it is to not only open a hospitality business, but to keep it running profitably. It’s a reckoning that’s echoed through the hospitality scene nationally. Waves of closures hit Adelaide in 2023 and Sydney bar owners have lamented how hard it is to open a bar thanks to red tape and delays. Australian operators also face struggles to keep staff safe and manage mental health concerns, in an industry that often demands unsustainable and anti-social hours, with substance use a growing problem.

“This year, we want to share more about what goes into our business – the costs, the decisions, and the daily work behind the counter. Prices will shift, our team will be working hard to keep up, and some things might be unavailable at times, but we hope you’ll understand why.

“At the end of the day, we’re here to make great food, in a space that feels familiar and welcoming, for a community that we love. Thanks for sticking with us,” concludes the statement. “We can’t wait to show you what’s next.”

@eatpeggys